Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

A genealogist with a law degree, Judy G. Russell is a lecturer, educator and writer who enjoys helping others understand a wide variety of genealogical issues, including the interplay between genealogy and the law. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark, and holds Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Lecturer credentials from the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She has worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor and, until her retirement, was an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School. Judy is a Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side. Visit her website at www.legalgenealogist.com.

Judy's Upcoming Live Webinars (3)

Wed, February 26 2025: 19:00 UTC
Shootout at the Rhododendron Lodge: Reconstructing Life-Changing Events
Wed, February 26 2025: 19:00 UTC
A 1929 shootout left the Bath County, Virginia, sheriff dead. Learn to follow the trail through all the records to reconstruct a life-changing event, and understand its unique challenges, both in terms of resources and in terms of ethics.
A 1929 shootout left the Bath County, Virginia, sheriff dead. Learn to follow the trail through all the records to reconstruct a life-changing event, and understand its unique challenges, both in terms of resources and in terms of ethics.
Wed, February 26 2025: 19:00 UTC
Wed, August 20 2025: 0:00 UTC
From Statutes to Stories: Finding the Law for Family History
Wed, August 20 2025: 0:00 UTC
The laws our ancestors lived by can tell us much about life in earlier times. Finding those laws, and the stories they tell, can be a daunting task, but—from colonial statutes to today, from the halls of Congress to the statehouses of 50 states—the choices legislators made about what laws were needed give a rich and deep context to family history.
The laws our ancestors lived by can tell us much about life in earlier times. Finding those laws, and the stories they tell, can be a daunting task, but—from colonial statutes to today, from the halls of Congress to the statehouses of 50 states—the choices legislators made about what laws were needed give a rich and deep context to family history.
Wed, August 20 2025: 0:00 UTC
Wed, November 5 2025: 19:00 UTC
Informed Consent: DNA’s Essential Ethical Underpinning
Wed, November 5 2025: 19:00 UTC
Whether testing ourselves or others, or disclosing results, informed consent to DNA testing is essential, requiring knowledge and understanding of the risks and a voluntary acceptance. Learn more about this key ingredient for ethical DNA testing.
Whether testing ourselves or others, or disclosing results, informed consent to DNA testing is essential, requiring knowledge and understanding of the risks and a voluntary acceptance. Learn more about this key ingredient for ethical DNA testing.
Wed, November 5 2025: 19:00 UTC

Judy's Webinars (40)