Court Leader's Advantage

Tuesday, October 5, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

A cyberattack is truly a different kind of threat, but that threat is real and growing. It takes a different kind of approach to defend against such an attack. Different questions need to be asked well before an attack occurs. Cybersecurity experts advise that having responses to these questions is essential to effectively preparing for and responding to an attack. In this episode we are talking to several court professionals who have endured a cyberattack on their court. We will be exploring questions on how to prepare your court to defend against an attack:

· What questions do you need to ask your IT professionals?

· How do you convince a funding body to spend the needed resources on cybersecurity?

· Do you have a realistic plan to conduct court business without your case management system or even computers for weeks possibly even months?

· How can you effectively train staff to respond to a cyberattack?

· Does your Continuity of Operations Plan (your COOP) even address the implications of a cyberattack?

Today's Panelists

Kevin Bowling is the Court Administrator for the 20th Circuit Court in Ottawa County, Michigan.  Kevin is also co-chair of the National Center for State Courts’ Joint Technology Committee and has helped develop three resource bulletins to assist court managers with handling cyberattacks.    Kevin received his B.A. in Political Science/Public Administration from Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island; a M.S. in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver College of Law; a J.D. from Thomas M.Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management.

Julia Hidy is the Court Administrator for the Probate Court in Fayette County, Ohio.  Julia is a graduate of the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Certified Court Management Program in 2014, she has been seasoned by events such as an extensive conversion of the case management system in 2014, Fayette County’s extensive ransomware/malware attack of June, 2019, subsequent case management update in September, 2019, and the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Casey Kennedy is the Director for the Office of Court Information Services at the Office of State Court Administration in Austin, Texas.  . Casey is currently the chair of the Court Information Technology Officer Consortium, a national organization of Court IT professionals. He holds a BA in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

Jorge Basto is the Director of IT Programs for the Cherokee County Clerk of Courts in Canton, Georgia.  A graduate of Georgia State University, Jorge has remained active in both local and national industry organizations and has been highlighted in the Gov Tech and ComputerWorld publications.

Montrella Jackson is the Court Administrator for the Akron Municipal Court, in Akron, Ohio.  Montrella received a B.A. in Political Science from the University  of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts and  subsequently earned a law degree from the University of Akron School  of Law. She is a Board member of the Ohio State Bar Association  Board of Directors and past president of the Board of Good Samaritan Hunger Center since.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Threats from cyberattacks can be easily ignored by courts. There are many rationalizations:

“Our court is too small to worry about cyberattacks”

“We have a great firewall that keeps everything out”

“Our employees change their passwords every three months just like clockwork”

“Everyone has been told not to open suspicious email attachments”

Often the perspective can be “We’re good”

You are good until the morning you fire up your desktop only to find a black screen with the words “pay $50,000 in bitcoin and we will send you the codes to unlock your case management system.” Cyber-experts continue to advise that it isn’t a matter of “if,” it is a matter of “when.”

In this episode we are talking to court professionals, several of whom have suffered through a cyberattack in their court. We’ll be exploring questions including:

· How did the court respond to the cyberattack?

· What could management have done differently?

· What could they have done to have prevented a cyberattack in the first place?

· What advice does our panel of experts have for the rest of us?

Our panel today includes:

Kevin Bowling is the Court Administrator for the 20th Circuit Court in Ottawa County, Michigan Kevin is also co-chair of the National Center for State Courts’ Joint Technology Committee and has helped develop three resource bulletins to assist court managers with handling cyberattacks.  He is a Past President of the National Association for Court Management, Co-Chair of the DOJ Global Advisory Committee.  Kevin received his B.A. in Political Science/Public Administration from Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island; a M.S. in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver College of Law; a J.D. from Thomas M.Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management.

Julie Hidy is the Court Administrator for the Probate Court in Fayette County, Ohio  A graduate of the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Certified Court Management Program in 2014, Julia has been seasoned by events such as an extensive conversion of the case management system in 2014, Fayette County’s extensive ransomware/malware attack of June, 2019, subsequent case management update in September, 2019, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. As the Fayette County Courthouse never closed during COVID-19, Julia managed a court staff that never worked from home and navigated court-in-session with restrictions and distanced hearings in person.

Casey Kennedy is the Director for the Office of Court Information Services at the Office of State Court Administration in Austin, Texas.  . Casey is currently the chair of the Court Information Technology Officer Consortium, a national organization of Court IT professionals. He holds a BA in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

Jorge Basto is the Director of IT Programs for the Cherokee County Clerk of Courts in Canton, Georgia.  Prior to joining the Clerk’s Office, Mr. Basto served as Georgia’s Chief Information Officer for 15 years with the Judicial Council’s Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).  Jorge is a graduate of Georgia State University.

Montrella Jackson is the Court Administrator for the Akron Municipal Court, in Akron, Ohio.  She received a B.A. in Political Science from the University  of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts and subsequently earned a law degree from the University of Akron School  of Law.

IACA’s Global Conversation Podcast Summer 2021

Measuring judicial performance is a burning topic in many countries around the globe. How to balance the need for timely case resolution with the necessity for just results is a question many court experts have often pondered. Today, our panel of international court professionals will discuss the implications of measuring judicial performance. This episode delves into a number of questions surrounding measuring judicial performance:

· How do you use the performance measures?

· Who gets to see the data?

· What effects does automating judicial performance measurement have?

· Do you tie judicial performance to an overall strategic plan?

· What advice do these court professionals have for the rest of us?

Our panel today Includes:

Angéline Rutazana: Inspector General for the Judiciary of Rwanda

Niceson Karungi: E-Justice Expert with Synergy International Systems

Dr. Aseel Zimmo: Advisor to the Chief Justice and Minister of Justice, Bahrain

Thomas G. Bruton: Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Tuesday, August 17, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Local Courts can offer incredible opportunity for both defendants and for the community. They are positioned precisely at a point to curtail dangerous behavior before it grows worse. The array of problem-solving courts nationally, often managed on a shoestring budget, is astounding. This does not make up for the fact that local courts are often neglected. They are frequently disparaged. In some cases, they manifest structural flaws that clearly need to be corrected. All the while, we remember that local courts are the place where most of the public obtain their first-hand experience of courts and justice.

This month we look at some of the challenges local courts face including:

· How should local court judges be selected?

· Should all local court judges be attorneys?

· Should all defendants in matters before local courts be represented by counsel?

· Should local courts be courts of record?

We will also continue our discussion of three recent Harvard Law Review articles about local courts. "Criminal Municipal Courts" by Alexandra Natapoff, "Kangaroo Courts" by Shaun Ossei-Owusu, and "Abolish Municipal Courts" by Brendan Roediger.

The Honorable Edward Spillane is the Presiding Municipal Judge for the City of College Station, Texas and has served in this position since May 2002. Prior to this, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for Brazos County for 8 years and as an associate for the law firm Fulbright & Jaworski for 2 years.  He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and his law degree from the University of Chicago.

The Honorable Mary Logan has been practicing law for over 27 years as a licensed attorney in California and in Washington. As a Judge, she was elected Presiding Judge of the Spokane Municipal Court from 2009 through 2014. Among her many accomplishments, she is one of the “core engineers” of the City of Spokane’s Community Court and presides over the City’s Veteran’s Therapeutic Court.

Courtney Whiteside is the Director of the St. Louis County Municipal Division where she provides educational opportunities to municipal divisions and clerks through various committees and educational groups in the state while promoting cultural and procedural reforms.  Courtney started in 2012 as a court clerk then went to Jefferson City to work with the Office of State Courts Administrator and on to the Missouri Supreme Court to serve as the state’s municipal division courts monitor.

Bettye King is a Court Administrator for the Municipal Court for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.  She has served in this capacity since 2003. Bettye earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Law Criminal Justice from Auburn University. She was the Patricia Harris Fellowship recipient and awarded Outstanding Achievement in Public Administration.  She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Jones School of Law.

Rashida Davis serves as the Court Administrator and Chief Clerk for the Municipal Court of Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Georgia State University. Rashida graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law Cum Laude.  She is a licensed attorney with the State of Georgia. Her legal background primarily focused on litigation and criminal defense.

Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Local Courts are the least analyzed components of the American court system. This is particularly ironic since there are thousands of local courts, far more than there are courts of general jurisdiction. It has been estimated that they process over three and a half million criminal cases and collect at least two billion dollars in fines and fees annually.

When we talk about preserving the public’s trust and confidence in America’s courts, we often miss that most citizens gain their first-hand experience from dealing with a local court.

This month we are looking at three recent Harvard Law Review articles on local courts: Criminal Municipal Courts by Alexandra Natapoff, Kangaroo Courts by Shaun Ossei-Owusu, and Abolish Municipal Courts by Brendan Roediger.

Here to discuss their perspectives on these articles are folks who can honestly reveal the whole story on local courts. They are judges and court administrators all of whom work in municipal courts.

We are looking at questions including:

· Can and should we be collecting more data on local courts nationally?

· Can the problem-solving model, fostered by many local courts, scale-up across the country?

· Can local courts resist the pressure many cities impose to increase revenue?

· What takeaways do these Judges and Court Administrators have for the rest of us?

Today's Panelists

The Honorable Edward Spillane is the Presiding Municipal Judge for the City of College Station, Texas and has served in this position since May 2002. Prior to this, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for Brazos County for 8 years and as an associate for the law firm Fulbright & Jaworski for 2 years.  He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and his law degree from the University of Chicago.

The Honorable Mary Logan has been practicing law for over 27 years as a licensed attorney in California and in Washington. As a Judge, she was elected Presiding Judge of the Spokane Municipal Court from 2009 through 2014. Among her many accomplishments, she is one of the “core engineers” of the City of Spokane’s Community Court and presides over the City’s Veteran’s Therapeutic Court.

Courtney Whiteside is the Director of the St. Louis County Municipal Division where she provides educational opportunities to municipal divisions and clerks through various committees and educational groups in the state while promoting cultural and procedural reforms.  Courtney started in 2012 as a court clerk then went to Jefferson City to work with the Office of State Courts Administrator and on to the Missouri Supreme Court to serve as the state’s municipal division courts monitor.

Bettye King is a Court Administrator for the Municipal Court for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.  She has served in this capacity since 2003. Bettye earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Law Criminal Justice from Auburn University. She was the Patricia Harris Fellowship recipient and awarded Outstanding Achievement in Public Administration.  She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Jones School of Law.

Rashida Davis serves as the Court Administrator and Chief Clerk for the Municipal Court of Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Georgia State University. Rashida graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law Cum Laude.  She is a licensed attorney with the State of Georgia. Her legal background primarily focused on litigation and criminal defense.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Long days of travel, strange hotels, and strange food. Yes, international assignments can include all of these. But it can also afford the opportunity to make real change and create real change in yourself. This month we are talking to folks who have engaged in international rule of law assignments in countries around the world.

We’re asking questions about international assignments. Did the folks on assignment make a difference? What were the political and cultural hurdles these people had to overcome? Do you need to know the language to go on assignment? What takeaways do these folks have for the rest of us?

Today’s contributors:

· Michele Oken, is a past president of NACM and has chaired the International Committee for the past seven years. In March of 2020, she retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court where she worked as a manager and court administrator for approximately 19 years.

· Jeffrey Apperson is Vice President of the National Center for State Courts’ International Division.  Jeff works all over the world to help courts establish and improve judicial administration. He directs dozens of programs in 25 or so nations at any given time. He has had leadership roles in projects in Mongolia, Iraq, Brazil, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago, to name just a handful. He co-founded the International Association for Court Administration.

Our panel today includes:

· Norman Meyer is a CourtLeader contributor with 38 years of experience as a trial court administrator in the U.S. federal and state courts.  Norman has experience working with many foreign judiciaries, especially in the Russian Federation, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania.  He received his M.S. in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1979, and a B.A. in political science and Russian studies from the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1977.

Pam Harris is the first woman State Court Administrator for the Maryland Court System. In 1989, she was appointed as the first woman to hold the Court Administrator position for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Pamela has been active in various rule-of-law initiatives in Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka, India, China, and the Ukraine.

Pamela Ryder-Lahey is a Court Management Consultant with 41 years’ experience and most recently Chief Executive Officer for the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.   Since 2000, she has been involved in Rule of Law and Court Reform projects in several countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Albania, Jamaica, and Philippines.

John Cipperly is a Senior Program Manager with the International Division of the National Center for State Courts.  John has more than 15 years of experience in the design and management of justice sector assistance programs for the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and other donors. He has developed or managed programs in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.  John is a native English speaker and fluent in Spanish.

Janet Cornell court consultant with over 35 years of experiences with both general and limited jurisdiction courts.  Janet is a founding and contributing member to www.courtleader.net. She has a Masters in Public Administration from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management along with certificates from the Leader Coach Institute, Scottsdale, AZ, and the Leadership Institute for Judicial Education.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

International work can be challenging. It can also be very rewarding. No matter what, it is an adventure you will remember for the rest of your life. Have you thought about it? Wondered if it was for you? Where would you even go to get answers to your questions?

This month we are talking to folks who have served as consultants on rule of law assignments in countries across the globe. From Russia, to Vietnam, to the Pacific Islands, these panelists have seen it all. Now you will hear their stories first-hand. This episode will give you a taste of international work. We will also tell you about NACM’s own forum for people involved in international work and for those wanting to get involved: The NACM International Committee. In addition, you will learn about the National Center for State Court’s International Division and the outstanding work it is doing around the globe.

Today's Contributors

Michele Oken is a past president of NACM and has chaired the International Committee for the past seven years. In March of 2020, she retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court where she worked as a manager and court administrator for approximately 19 years.

Jeffrey Apperson is Vice President of the National Center for State Courts’ International Division.  Jeff works all over the world to help courts establish and improve judicial administration. He directs dozens of programs in 25 or so nations at any given time. He has had leadership roles in projects in Mongolia, Iraq, Brazil, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago, to name just a handful. He co-founded the International Association for Court Administration,

Norman Meyer is a CourtLeader contributor with 38 years of experience as a trial court administrator in the U.S. federal and state courts.  Norman has experience working with many foreign judiciaries, especially in the Russian Federation, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania.  He received his M.S. in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1979, and a B.A. in political science and Russian studies from the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1977.

Pam Harris is the first woman State Court Administrator for the Maryland Court System. In 1989, she was appointed as the first woman to hold the Court Administrator position for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Pamela has been active in various rule-of-law initiatives in Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka, India, China, and the Ukraine.

Pamela Ryder-Lahey is a Court Management Consultant with 41 years’ experience and most recently Chief Executive Officer for the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.   Since 2000, she has been involved in Rule of Law and Court Reform projects in several countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Albania, Jamaica, and Philippines.

John Cipperly is a Senior Program Manager with the International Division of the National Center for State Courts.  John has more than 15 years of experience in the design and management of justice sector assistance programs for the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and other donors. He has developed or managed programs in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.  John is a native English speaker and fluent in Spanish.

Janet Cornell court consultant with over 35 years of experiences with both general and limited jurisdiction courts.  Janet is a founding and contributing member to www.courtleader.net. She has a Masters in Public Administration from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management along with certificates from the Leader Coach Institute, Scottsdale, AZ, and the Leadership Institute for Judicial Education.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

This week we are continuing our April 20th conversation with our panel on what is the key to effective communication, particularly during the pandemic. This week our panel covers topics including rumors and misinformation, the importance of “virtual water cooler” time, and the challenge of delivering unwelcome news.

You will remember that we asked you viewers to send in your thoughts on what was the key to effective communication. We received some great ideas, so we asked several folks to give us their advice on what makes for effective communication during the pandemic.

Today’s Contributors:

These are folks who sent in advice on what is the key to effective communication:

· LaShawn Thompson, Court Administrator for Oklahoma City Municipal Court

· Joshua Larsen, Trial Court Supervisor, Dubuque, Iowa

· Stacy Worby, Jury Coordinator for the Alaska Court System

Today's Co-Host: Alyce Roberts with the Alaska Court System.

Today's Panel:

· Zenell Brown, Executive Court Administrator for the Third Circuit Court in Detroit, Michigan

· Rick Pierce, Judicial Programs Administrator for the Pennsylvania Administrative Office of the Courts

· T.J. BeMent, District Court Administrator for the 10th Judicial District in Athens, Georgia

· Elizabeth “Liz” Rambo, Trial Court Administrator for the Lane County Circuit Court in Eugene, Oregon.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

It seems that at some point in every class the facilitator utters those words, “communication is key.” We all know however, that communication must be effective to make a difference. So, what is the key to making communication effective?

In this episode, we are going to explore communication. How to make it count. How to avoid wasting time for you and your employees. Specifically, we will look at:

· How effective has court communication been during the pandemic?

· Are there different approaches to effectively communicating with employees, with other justice stakeholders, and with the general public?

· How can you obtain employee feedback in the age of Zoom meetings?

· What can we learn from our panel of court administrators?

About Our Presenters

Our Co-Host

Alyce Roberts is recently retired as the Special Projects Coordinator for the Alaska Court System. As a member of the court’s senior staff, she was the AOC’s primary liaison with the clerks of court. In this capacity, she was responsible for developing the annual statewide clerks of court conference program, facilitating the sessions and serving as a presenter.  Alyce served on the National Association for Court Management’s (NACM) Board of Directors, chaired NACM’s Communication Committee, and she is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management (2010).

Our Panelists

Liz Rambo is the Trial Court Administrator (TCA) for Lane County Circuit Court. As the TCA for one of Oregon’s largest courts, Liz is responsible for all non-judicial court functions including budget, human resources, technology, facilities, and business efficiency.  Liz Liz graduated with high scholarship from Oregon State University with a BA in history and has an MBA from Portland State University.

Rick Pierce is the Judicial Programs Administrator of the Judicial District Operations and Programs Department, has served in the field of court administration for the past twenty-nine years.  Prior to his appointment at the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, Rick was the district court administrator for Cumberland County.  He graduated from Washington and Lee University and received his Masters in Public Administration from Shippensburg University in 1995.

Tracy "T.J." BeMent is the District Court Administrator for the 10th Judicial Administrative District of Georgia. The 10th JAD covers the general jurisdiction superior courts in six circuits in 21 counties.  He was previously the Court Administrator for the Athens-Clarke County Courts in Athens, Georgia, where he worked with all six levels of trial courts in the county.  J.T. received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and completed his ICM Fellowship in spring 2015.

As a Court Administrator, Zenell Brown has garnered respect for her ethical leadership and innovation. She has built her approach on three pillars: communication, leadership responsibility and accountability, and diversity and inclusion.  Zenell received her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School; she received her Public Service Administration Graduate Certificate from Central Michigan University, her Court Administration Certificate from Michigan State University, and her Certified Diversity Professional from the National Diversity Council-DiversityFirst.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

The Coronavirus has created a crisis in America’s jails and prisons. Many of these facilities have become COVID hotspots. Although sometimes overlooked, the pandemic also poses an enormous risk for juveniles who are detained. It is surprising to learn that, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, there were actually more young people in detention in December of last year than in April when the pandemic was new. And a greater proportion of those young people were Black and Latino.

To investigate this alarming situation, Drexel University and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges have come together in a new project to 1) research juvenile risk assessment, risk reduction, and judicial decision-making during the pandemic; 2) develop a research-based plan to safely lower the numbers of young people confined in juvenile facilities; and 3) use that plan to motivate decision-makers to safely reduce the number of confinements, and therefore help manage the virus.

· How can we benefit from the research these experts are conducting on judicial detention and placement decisions in the time of COVID?

· How will this project change juvenile justice both during and after COVID?

· What lessons have we learned and what advice do we have to share?

About Our Panelists:

The Honorable Gayl Branum Carr is a Judge on the Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in Fairfax County, Virginia. She was appointed to the bench in 1994.  She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of Law in 1987 and her Bachelor of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984.  She is a Board Member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.  Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Carr served as Fairfax County Assistant County Attorney where she was responsible for prosecuting civil cases involving child dependency matters.  She previously served as President of the Virginia Council of Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judges and Secretary, National Association of Women Judges District 4 among other leadership positions she holds in the community.

Dr. Naomi Goldstein is a Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Law and Psychology Program at Drexel University in Philadelphia.  Dr. Goldstein collaborates with community stakeholders to use social science research to improve juvenile justice policy and practice. Her work centers on the role of adolescent development in legal settings, and the development, implementation, and evaluation of best practices in juvenile justice contexts.  She currently focuses on cross-systems work to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, reform juvenile probation systems, and reduce racial and ethnic disparities within the justice system.

Bob Bermingham is Director of the Court Services Unit at the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.  He began his career in juvenile justice in 1986 as child care specialist in the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center. During the past 30 plus years Bob has served in many different capacities within the juvenile justice system in Fairfax County.  During his tenure Bob has held management positions with probation services, served as the County’s first Gang Prevention Coordinator, and since 2009 has served as the Court Service Unit Director of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest Court Service Unit.