I recently had the opportunity to attend the Atlanta Bar Association Family Law Section’s Annual Judicial Luncheon, where the Honorable Jane C. Barwick of the Superior Court of Fulton County celebrated her retirement and was awarded the Families First Award. Judge Barwick still had the closing section of her speech that she gave when she was first sworn in as a judge with her, and she read from it to the luncheon attendees. In her closing section, she spoke about a few themes—but one for me was quite memorable. Her reflections on her swearing-in resonated with me, and reminded everyone present that justice lives among us.
Judge Barwick reminded us that justice is not some abstract, unobtainable thing that comes down from on high. Justice isn’t something fantastical, embodying impossible ideals and rooted in mythological woo-woo of blindfolded and sword-bearing goddesses, but instead that justice is something that lives among us. Justice is not just a concept. Justice is a guiding principle that shapes real outcomes for real people. Justice is rooted is us, is constant, and is obtainable.
Family law is often fraught with emotion, frustration, and heartbreak. In the midst of a contentious divorce or a heated custody dispute, it’s easy to become myopic, focusing only on the immediate pain or conflict. The struggle over family heirlooms, the logistical challenges of picking up children from dance class (your soon-to-be-ex-spouse didn’t pick them up again), and the stress of coordinating with relatives are all too familiar. These moments can feel overwhelming, and the obstacles may seem insurmountable. Yet, as Judge Barwick reminded us, justice is obtainable. Justice is within reach, even when the path forward appears blocked and your vision is completely covered by that immediate problem right in front of you.
My mother likes to share with me the old saying “this too shall pass.” Sure, that’s nice. It feels nice to think about, it feels nice to say—but it’s also a challenge. A challenge to look beyond this immediate crisis and envision what comes next—to refocus and deny overwhelming myopic thinking. It’s certainly easier to focus on the immediate problem right in front of us. But, true progress requires us to lift our gaze to the horizon, to imagine life after the divorce, after the custody battle, after the dispute is resolved. What do you want your life to look like? What goals do you want to achieve? Is your vision to start anew, or is there room for a more fluid, collaborative future? Every case is different. Every person is different. Justice is personal.
At our firm, we strive to embody the idea that justice is not impossible or impersonal. We want to help you obtain your goals and dreams after our job is complete. We want justice to work for you. We want you to own your future.
This annual luncheon was not just a celebration of the amazing contributions of Judge Barwick, but instead a call to action: to keep the momentum going, to keep justice working—looking beyond the immediate and to plan for the future.
Austin Chesteen
