General Sessions Judge Daniel B. Eisenstein was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Fall 2021 General Sessions Conference on October 6.
The award, which was presented by Judge Lynda Jones, General Sessions Conference President, is given to a member of the conference who exemplified the traits of not only an outstanding judge, but a life dedicated to living in a noble and selfless manner.
Judge Eisenstein took the bench mid-term in 2004 and served until 2014. “It was a great honor to be elected to serve and be a part of your group,” said Judge Eisenstein.
Judge Eisenstein was a presenter at several judges’ yearly meetings on the issues of mental health and mental health courts. He also headed an effort and drafted proposed legislation to create a position of senior judge, which was established for retired judges throughout the state. It allows judges to travel to sit for another judge and be reimbursed a per diem.
“The law was initially passed just for Davidson County, but after three years of legislation, it now covers 85 counties,” Judge Jones said. “This is important because of the difference in resources between rural and urban judges. I wanted that law passed in my term and we can thank Judge Dan Eisenstein for starting that process and, now, four years later it has turned into something for the entire conference.”
Judge Eisenstein worked on the Behavioral Wellness Advisory Council, which was established by former Mayor David Briley. The Council joins government and community partners in support systems change that benefit people in need. As a leader of that group, Judge Eisenstein helped implement goals for the mayor’s office and police department. For example, the Nashville police department now sends a licensed social worker with officers answering crisis calls for the mentally ill.
“That program has been operating in Nashville, thanks to Dan Eisenstein, so that we can save lives and get the people suffering from mental illness the assistance they need rather than having a violent confrontation with police, which can unfortunately sometimes lead to death,” said Judge Jones.
Judge Jones also shared Judge Eisenstein’s long list of community service participation, including serving as Past President of the Nashville Jewish Community Center; Past President of the Parks Center, which provides services to Nashvillians with mental illness; Past President of the Pro Bono Program for the Nashville Bar Association; Past President of the Legal Aid Society for Middle Tennessee; Former Board Member of the Nashville Bar Association; Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association; Member of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court; Participant of the Alumni Board of Directors for Leadership Nashville; and former Board of Directors member for Vanderbilt University Alumni Association, University School of Nashville, YWCA, Girl Scouts of Middle TN, and Nashville Conflict Resolution Center.
