DOVER DISTRICT COURT Justice Robert L. Cullinane retires on Dec. 10, 2004, after 32 years on the bench. He is one of the state's longest sitting judges.

Judge Cullinane, who turns 65 on his retirement date, was first appointed as a part-time special justice in Dover at 32 by Gov. Walter Peterson. Early on, he became active in a variety of court initiatives and helped develop New Hampshire's first comprehensive juvenile code.

He later served on the governor's commission on Disposition Guidelines for Juveniles and helped with the creation of the first state-funded juvenile services agency. In 1986 Gov. John Sununu made him the full-time Presiding Justice of the Dover District Court.

He served on the NH Judges' Association Board of Governors for 12 years and for a term as its president. He presided for seven years in the District Court Jury Trial Division and was on the Supreme Court Rules Committee for 20 years.

At the dedication of the Dover District Courthouse in 2003, Administrative Services Commissioner Donald Hill described Judge Cullinane as the "driving force" behind the construction of the new state-of-the-art facility housing the consolidated Dover, Somersworth, and Rollinsford courts.

More recently, Judge Cullinane has been active in the Russian-American Rule of Law Consortium and he traveled to Vologda, Russia, in 2003 to help promote Rule of Law initiatives.

"As I approach retirement, I feel richly rewarded by my years on the bench," said Judge Cullinane. "Judges often are able to make an enormous difference in the lives of people. It has been a great honor and privilege for me to serve our court and the citizens of New Hampshire for so many years."

In an interview with Foster's, Cullinane said he tried to always remember the responsibility his position entailed. "People don't realize, we deal with the most fundamental constitutional protections-liberty interests-every time I make a bail order, it affects a person's liberty." His simple rule for treating those who came before him on the bench: "Listen, be courteous, be kind."

Judge Cullinane is a native of Dover and was raised in Somersworth. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and the Boston University School of Law. He is a former Somersworth City Attorney and practiced law for 18 years before becoming a full-time judge.

Looking ahead, Judge Cullinane said he expects to participate in special court-related projects and do some writing. In the immediate future, he and his wife, Ruth Ann, will divide their time between homes in Somersworth and Florida.

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