SUNY Adirondack Alumni News Features Rob Smith
The SUNY Adirondack Alumni News Features Rob Smith
"My mom is the reason I'm taking the next step."
Rob Smith, '90, is running for Warren County Family Court JudgeRobert Smith, '90, is a native of Queensbury and recently announced his intention to run for Warren County Family Court Judge.
Rob
earned a business administration degree from SUNY Adirondack and a
bachelor's degree in economics from SUNY Albany. He is an honors
graduate of Albany Law School and began his legal career working for the
late Richard J. Bartlett, at the firm of Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart
& Rhodes, PC in Glens Falls. Rob later took employment with attorney
Stan Pritzker, now a justice on the New York State Supreme Court.
We spoke with Rob over lunch at The Docksider in Queensbury.
Q: Why did you choose to start your education at SUNY Adirondack?
A: After graduating from Queensbury, I really didn’t know what I
wanted to do. I had three careers in mind – an elementary school
teacher, a lawyer, or an FBI agent. The FBI involved legal issues, so I
thought I could become a lawyer and then move into the FBI with a law
degree. It also just sounded cool to me at the time. On the other hand,
I always loved kids and loved working with kids. When I graduated high
school, the Queensbury School District had possibly one to two male
teachers in the elementary school. I felt that the school needed more
male teachers, and would be a good way to find a job relatively easily
just out of college.
SUNY Adirondack was affordable and close to home. I didn’t have that
need or desire that most kids have to get away from my parents and
hometown. I loved the area. I also came from a family of five kids. My
parents just couldn’t afford to pay for the rising costs of college,
even back then. My parents worked very hard to provide for us, so I was
not going to burden them with my education expenses. I also wasn’t sure
what I wanted to become. So my thought was this: Why waste the money
when I’m not sure what I want to do? One of the best parts about the
school was the college’s open door policy – that is, if you wanted to
speak to a professor, the door was always open. I had a much different
experience at SUNY Albany – there were 50 to 200 people in one class,
and you always wound up speaking to teaching assistants.
SUNY Adirondack is a hidden gem in this area. It really bothers me
that the college is still looked at as “Bay Road Tech,” or a place where
kids go because they couldn’t get into a “real college.” But it was
very good to me, and for me. To date, it’s the best schooling I’ve
received. I hear kids say, “I’m just gonna go to (SUNY Adirondack)” and I
stop ‘em and I say, “If you are unsure of what you want to do, this
will be the best decision you’ll ever make for your education. Period.”
My oldest son will be taking classes there next year.
Q: Who inspired you at SUNY Adirondack?
A: I can honestly say I didn’t have a bad professor here. Drew
Bonacic was a good professor and he dealt with students well. John
O’Kane and Richard Tarantino, instructors in the criminal justice
program, were great teachers. John was retired from the NYPD and Dick
was a Glens Falls City Court judge – he taught a lot of classes and
guided me toward a law degree. Tarantino preached that a law degree was
self-sustaining, and made me understand that it was better to get the
degree while you’re young rather than try later when life becomes a
little more complicated.
Q: What motivated you to transfer to SUNY Albany, and then move on to Albany Law?
A: I was fascinated by economics and understood it well. By the time I
graduated from SUNY Albany, though, I had made up my mind to take Mr.
Tarantino’s advice and go to law school. My uncle, G. Emmett Smith, went
to law school and I followed in his footsteps.
Q: What has changed in the practice of law since you earned your degree?
A: I have worked for the Warren County Court System for most of my
legal career, so my opinion will lean more towards what I see the courts
doing. The court system today recognizes the need for treatment. It has
finally realized that it’s cheaper to treat someone as opposed to
incarcerating them. Judges also recognize the need to get a real
understanding of why people are appearing before them. Mental health is
another area that needs immediate attention.
Q: You were instrumental in creating the first Treatment Court in Warren County, right?
A: Yes – Warren County Court Judge John Austin and I created the
first treatment court. We worked in collaboration with our District
Attorney, Kate Hogan, Director of Probation Robert Iusi, the defense bar
and various treatment agencies to create the first felony treatment
court in Warren County’s history. It was a felony treatment court,
designed for recidivists who continue to commit crimes due to substance
abuse related issues. The idea behind the court was quite simple: Help
these people with their addiction and decrease the likelihood of them
committing new crimes. If you cure the addiction, you stop the
criminality. I am proud to say that we have had a lot of success in
that.
We’ve had over 200 graduates of the Treatment Court and approximately
75 are currently in the program now. But it’s not easy. A person really
has to want to make the necessary changes in order to graduate. It’s
very intensive and takes one to three years to complete. There’s a lot
of random drug testing, a lot of meetings, and scheduled court
appearances.
Family court has an adult family treatment court and a juvenile
treatment court that were both modeled after ours. Although these
programs have not seen as much success as ours, I do believe that my
extensive knowledge and experience in this area can turn those programs
around. Understanding the nature of addiction and obtaining the proper
treatment is critical in assisting addicts to live more productive
lives, and more importantly, maintain healthier and safer relationships
with their children, family members and other members of
society. Unfortunately, substance abuse issues are all too prevalent in
many Family Court cases. After hearing the speakers at the recent
“Hometown v. Heroin” presentation at SUNY Adirondack, I am convinced
that a juvenile treatment program is critical in halting the spread of
drug and alcohol use among our youth. I would take the necessary steps
to regenerate the somewhat “defunct” Juvenile Treatment Court Program in
Warren County.
Q: Why did you decide to run for Family Court Judge?
A: The main reason is quite simple: I really enjoy helping people
solve problems and working with kids. I have worked with kids, in some
capacity, my entire life. I have coached hundreds of kids in our
community in various sports. I am a board member of Big Brothers and Big
Sisters and was recently assigned a new “little.” Seeing the impact
that I can have on a child’s life is very gratifying to me. Being as
involved in the community as I am, however, has also allowed for me to
see the many different family dynamics that exist, and the many problems
associated with those dynamics. Families are struggling, and if I can
provide them with a map to a safer and healthier place, then I feel that
it is my obligation as a member of this community to do so.
I have also seen far too many cases come to county court where the
individual has an extensive family court file. These individuals have
now graduated from PINS and Juvenile Delinquency proceedings to adult
felons. Part of me wonders if something is getting missed. Having two
Judges will allow them each to spend more time with each file and
hopefully stop this trend.
I also believe that my knowledge and experience with treatment court
can have a tremendous impact on many of the families and kids in Family
Court. You have to understand, the Treatment Courts in the Warren County
Court System can have a positive impact not just on the participants,
but their families and our community as a whole. The problems in Family
Court – substance abuse and addictions – are similar to those in other
courts. If you can beat the addiction, life becomes as little less
chaotic. It effects positive change.
I have 16 and 14 year old boys. Raising kids today is so different
than it was even 10 years ago. I think Family Court needs a Judge who is
young enough to understand today’s kids and families and strong enough
to handle the issues. I feel I have both qualities.
Q: One of the biggest reasons you are embarking on this campaign is in memory of your mother, Joann.
A: My mom passed away 15 years ago. She’s one of the reasons I’m
taking the next step. She loved kids. Both she and my father continue to
have a tremendous impact on my life and how I view things.
Both of my parents grew up in Glens Falls, my mother on Third Street
and my father on Cherry Street. My father lost his dad when he was 6
years old. He was a worker and helped take care of his mom at a very
young age. He has one of the brightest minds and a memory which I envy.
He worked seven days a week to provide for his family and showed me how
important it was to take care of your family.
My mom grew up in Glens Falls and loved kids. I am confident that is
where my love and passion for kids comes from. She always tried to see
the best in everyone, and instilled that belief in me. She understood
that things aren’t always what they appeared to be, and always tried to
not judge a book by its cover.
My mother was very handy and loved to reupholster furniture. I
remember her and I driving around Glens Falls one day and she saw a
ratty old couch sitting on a curb. When she stopped to look at it, I was
embarrassed. Then she started to explain to me why she had stopped.
She said, “You look at this piece of furniture and you see a ratty old
couch. I look at it and see the study frame that’s hidden underneath.
It’s the frame that makes the couch, not the cloth.” We ended up taking
that couch home. Mom re-upholstered it and made it brand new again. That
was always one of her many talents, taking something old and making it
new again.
I view kids and people in a similar light. I don’t judge people
because they dress differently or look different than I do. I try to see
the good in everyone and try to bring the best out of everyone. It is
one of the reasons why I love coaching kids. Perhaps my ideas and
suggestions can take these broken families and kids and make them new
again.
I’m hoping my story will send a message to kids in the area. I
started from simple beginnings, went to SUNY Adirondack, and now I’m
running for Family Court Judge. The sky’s the limit.
For more information on Rob Smith, go to
www.robsmithforjudge.com or visit his Facebook page at RobSmithforJudge.
The SUNY Adirondack Alumni News Features Rob Smith
