Judith ”Jude” Litzenberger is Executive Director of the California Veterans Legal Task Force and Coordinator for the Veterans Treatment Review Calendar in San Diego Superior Court. Jude has been instrumental in recruiting and training the collaborative team that supports the Veterans Treatment Court in San Diego County. As co-chair of the Returning Veterans Legal Task Force, she has worked for three years on community education and development to bring all key players to the table in designing a VTC that incorporates lessons learned in other VTC ventures, maximizes the intricacies of California law, and is built on ensuring safe communities and getting timely and appropriate treatment for her fellow veterans. Jude has developed and presented community educational programs on veterans treatment court to approximately 1000 justice professionals; attorneys, judges, probation officers, treatment providers and law enforcement officers.
Jude is a retired Navy line officer with significant fiscal and management experience. She has managed a successful private law practice, serving military personnel and their families in military courts martial, civilian trial courts and administrative venues. Jude has represented returning veterans and consulted with counsel on scores of criminal cases involving mental defenses including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and psychological war wounds.
In addition to a juris doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, Jude holds graduate degrees in Psychology and Education and has completed specialized training at the National Center for PTSD in Menlo Park. Jude serves as Co-Chair of the Community Advisory Board for UCSD INTRuST Clinical Consortium, which reviews proposals for clinical research in PTSD and TBI under consideration for DoD funding. Jude chaired the Military Law Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association for two years, served on the boards of Walden Family Services, Inc. and Uptown Faith Community Service Center, and was appointed in 2008 by Mayor Sanders as a member of the City of San Diego's Citizen's Review Board on Police Practices.
Jude recruits and trains volunteer military and civilian defense attorneys for Operation Stand Down and has presented legal issues at national conferences including Veterans' Services Officers and homeless veterans advocacy organizations. She has also provided testimony and assistance to California and U.S. legislators regarding legislation that impacts justice-involved veterans.
For her service to veterans, Jude is the recipient of the 2011 President’s Pro Bono Service Award (Individual Attorney) presented by the California State Bar Association.