63.0°,
A Few Clouds and Breezy Retired Lawrence Village Justice Donald Buchalter, 83
Donald Buchalter had a role in nearly every case adjudicated in the Lawrence Village Hall courtroom from when its established in 1968 until his retirement in 2018. Buchalter died on Aug. 26. He was 83.
Appointed the village’s first prosecutor, he became village justice 12 years later, succeeding Cal Polivey, the original village justice. The village courtroom was named in Buchalter’s honor nearly two years ago on what was called Judge Donald J. Buchalter Day in Lawrence.
A Brooklyn native, Buchalter also practiced employment law. He moved to Lawrence with his wife, Judith, who was raised in the village. “I liked to treat everybody the same,” he said of adjudicating cases on his special day. “Whether they were rich, poor, black, white. They were all individuals, and all entitled to a fair process.”
Lawrence Village Court adjudicates traffic tickets issued in the village by NCPD and summonses for violations of the village code. Buchalter was first appointed village prosecutor by then Mayor Jay Gordon — who became his brother-in-law. (Gordon's wife is Judy Buchalter's sister.)
At the Nov. 19 ceremony, Mayor Alex Edelman said: . “A judge has to dispense justice with humor and common sense,” Edelman said. “Judge Buchalter has consistently demonstrated prudent sensitivity coupled with well-reasoned decisions in the administration of justice. For 50 years, Judge Buchalter has been a shining example of integrity and dedication to family, community and the rule of law.”
Village Administrator Ron Goldman, who was acting village justice and village prosecutor before taking on his current job, noted his personal relationship with Buchalter. “My wife, Janet, and I were neighbors to the Buchalters for 38 years,” Goldman said at the ceremony. “And what makes for a good neighbor makes for a good judge.”
This story will be expanded and updated.
