Assets Instead of Liabilities: Judge Ivorey Cobb and Juvenile Justice in Colebrook, New Hampshire

Abstract

This article examines the judicial career of military veteran and attorney, Ivorey Cobb, with a particular focus on his work in juvenile justice. Cobb was the first black person to receive an appointment to the New Hampshire state judiciary, serving on two different trial courts from the mid 1960s until the early 1980s. Using archival records, including Cobb's own papers, interviews, as well as newspaper reports from the time, the authors discuss his background, ascension to the bench as well as his juvenile justice initiatives in a mainly rural, racially homogeneous community and state. Grappling with rising caseloads, strained resources, and the new requirements of post-Gault due process, Cobb was nevertheless enthusiastic in devoting his energies to initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for juvenile offenders.