AFTER NEARLY 30 years on the bench of one of the state’s busiest district courts, Judge Arthur O. Gormley, Jr. will retire Oct. 30, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age for judges of 70.

Gormley earned his law degree from Boston College and was admitted to the NH Bar in 1960. He was appointed part-time Nashua District Court judge in February 1971 and has held that position since.

When Gormley was first appointed to the bench, the court was under the jurisdiction of the city of Nashua and was located in City Hall, above the police station. There have been major changes since: In 1979, for instance, the court moved to its own building. "That was a significant change, having the space expressly for the district court," said Gormley. And in 1984, a court consolidation bill passed by the Legislature brought the district (and municipal) courts under the jurisdiction of the state.

Gormley has also seen Nashua District Court become one of the busiest district courts in the state, as the population in Nashua and its surrounding towns has exploded. To address the ever-growing caseload, the court’s staff has expanded over the years from part-time judges and clerk to one part-time and two full-time judges and a full-time clerk operating in three courtrooms. "There has been significant change in terms of facilities and personnel," Gormley said.

The jurisdiction of the district courts also evolved during his tenure, according to Gormley. Through the domestic violence statute of 1979 and related statutes, the prosecution of domestic violence crimes came under the purview of the district and superior courts. "We have concurrent jurisdiction with the superior courts, but most domestic violence cases are handled by the district courts," said Gormley.

As a part-time judge, Gormley typically sat once a week, but he also regularly conducted special arraignments on Saturday and was on 24-hour call for search and arrest warrants and temporary domestic orders over the phone. He said that there weren’t any particularly memorable cases that came before him in district court.

Gormley will continue to practice law at his Nashua law firm Gormley & Gormley with his son, Arthur O. Gormley III. The elder Gormley’s practice areas include real estate, business, estate planning and probate law.

Although he served on the bench until mandatory retirement age, Gormley doesn’t lament over having to step down. "I don’t mind retiring from the bench at age 70," he said.

Nashua District Court Clerk Paulette LeBlanc and Nashua Bar Association President Valerie Raudonis are planning a retirement party for Gormley. A cocktail party will be held Friday, October 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Martha’s Exchange, Main Street, Nashua. The event is open to all and will cost $15 per person. Those wishing to attend should send a check to LeBlanc at Nashua District Court, Walnut Street Oval, Nashua, 03060, no later than October 5. Call LeBlanc at 880-3333 for more information.

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