Conference Recap
Regional Reports
Northeast Regional Meeting
Attendees:
This year’s meeting was led by Regional Director Linda Richard (VT) and attended by Merry
Hofford (DC), Barbara Sweet (NH), Chip Epperson (VT), Mira Gur-Arie (DC), Mary Kennedy (PA),
Karen Carroll (VT), Stephen Feiler (PA), Ellen Marshall (DC), Laurie Canty (VT), Bunny Baum (PA),
Jennifer Schoenfeldt (NV), Theresa Davidson (VT) and Damaris Torrent (NY).
Spring Regional Meeting:
After a brief welcome and introductions, Linda reported on the regional meeting that was held
in New York in April, 2005. A program on NACM core competencies and how they pertain to judicial
education was presented by Jan Bouch, the primary author of the NACM core competency on education,
training and development. The day concluded with a business meeting, a best practices discussion
and a guided tour of the New York Judicial Institute. The Institute donated the space for the
meeting, provided continental breakfast and lunch, and picked up all underlying costs for the
presenter, including travel arrangements. Franny Haney and Mary O’Connor have volunteered
to plan next year’s regional meeting which will once again be held in the spring. Members
were encouraged to send topic ideas via e-mail to Franny.
Exceptional Programming/Faculty:
A discussion of innovative programs and identification of exceptional faculty followed. Among
the programs discussed:
• Villanova Sentencing Workshop (PA). Offered through Villanova University School of Law, this program brings together students, Pennsylvania trial judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and other sentencing experts for intensive sessions to discuss the crucial issues of sentencing and punishment through the lens of real cases. The workshop not only provides an outstanding opportunity for students, but also serves as a laboratory for sentencing reform.
• FISH!: Catch the Energy and Release the Potential (VT). Modeled on the customer service philosophy adopted by the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, this day long training and team-building opportunity is presented to teams of judiciary employees comprised of judges, staff, security officers, law clerks, etc.
• Coping With Change (NH). Designed to address and assist judiciary employees with major changes in the workplace.
• Joint Judicial Management Conference (DC). This year’s theme was mental health issues. Approximately 150 judges and senior court managers attended this 2½ day conference. Speakers included persons who had experienced the court system as users of services (litigants, victims, etc.)
• A Tri-State Conference focusing on family law (NH, VT and ME) included a discussion on parental abduction.
Outstanding speakers identified during the meeting included:
• From the
National Judicial College: Dr. Isaiah Zimmerman, American University (judicial stress)
• From Vermont: Dr. Ahnna Lake, psychiatrist and author (judicial stress)
• From DC: Kim Bloodsworth (the first person released from prison on DNA evidence) and Tim Jenkin (the author and attorney who represented him)
• From PA: Dr. Steven Chanenson, Villanova University School of Law (criminal sentencing)
Additional Discussion:
• Barb Sweet (NH) is seeking ideas and information on mentoring programs for new judges and
staff.
• Linda Richard (VT) is seeking ways to provide automated docketing systems training for staff. This led to a discussion on the challenges and opportunities afforded by distance learning, on-line learning and using CDs to train.
• Jennifer Schoenfeldt, a program manager for the National Judicial College, shared resources and assistance offered by NJC.
2007 Annual Conference:
Suggestions for the FY-07 NASJE conference (western region) were solicited. They included San
Diego and Phoenix.
Midwest Regional Meeting
• Introductions 8:30 – 8:45
• Agenda was finalized and affirmed.
• Midwest Regional Meeting – The March 2005
one in Ohio was successful but small.
Would the group (regional members) like to do another in 2006? St. Louis was a suggested location.
About half the members indicated they would be willing/$ able to go.
Suggested: to use JERITT to send out questions about possible dates – Jan., Feb., March and gauge response.
2006 NASJE 31st Annual Conference will be in our region: Minneapolis. Robin Wosje and Jill Goski will be wonderful assets in helping to plan the conference.
• Exceptional Programming/Faculty
Kenny Miller of Texas: ABA traffic law seminar (SF, Cal.) Wonderful conference they brought it
home – replicated it in Texas.
- Highway patrol showed how Radar works.
- Case law regarding speed detection devices.
- Elderly drivers.
Other remedies besides losing their licenses were discussed.
October 2005 in New Orleans – Funds available to send judges for two and half days. Great
environment to scout out speakers.
Debra Weinberg from Ohio is willing to help folks find funding for NASJE members or their judges
to attend.
Robin Wosje of the National Judicial College: NHTSA – Traffic Grant
- Possible on-line DUI course.
- NJC offers a CDL course (includes a faculty development component)
Philip Gould of Nebraska – Judge Jim Dehn staggered sentencing around DUI offenses located in Cambridge, Minn.
Vicki Davis of Indiana – Mike Witte (of Dearborn Sup. Court.) good faculty for CDL.
Suggestion made to use the space on NASJE website to suggest and scout speakers.
Robin, NJC – announced that Judicial Educators can audit one NJC course every two years for free (no registration costs).
Kevin Bowling from Michigan –
NIC – on “female specific” programming.
Faculty: Female specific programming – Sandy Metcalf highlights differences in male vs.
female effective programming. Good for judges and court staff.
Mike from Iowa – Ethnic diversity training
Dotty from Texas – Judge Patrice Garcia (el Paso) – program on Juvenile female Hispanics and drugs.
Judge Pirraglia – ABA – hundreds of millions of dollars were put into the recently
passed transportation bill for traffic safety education. Please contact him to help bring in
judges for training.
- Judges will come to your state to do these (3) programs.
Attacks on Judiciary – physically and politically
-- Where is the Judiciary going: 2010-2015
-- When and how to effectively talk to the media
-- Changing role of Judge: not just hear facts, but save families, heal victims
See summer’s NASJE News for content information. RIJudge@cox.net.
Cathy Springer from Indiana – Diversity – Kathleen Sikora, Michael Roosevelt and a judge. Cathy can help create a model curriculum on cultural competency. Cultural competency seminar went well.
Gordon Zimmerman – communication skills for judicial offices and fairness.
Ron Hofer, court administrator in Wisconsin – Judicial writing - Good faculty, funny.
Tim Terrell – legal writing at Emory University is expensive.
Daisy Floyd – Mercer University Law School
Jill Ramsfield – Georgetown University
Faculty Development: Louis Phillips from Georgia – NJC – Train the Trainer.
NJC: January faculty development class – they reserve spots for speakers recommended by state judicial educators. Send judges you want to develop.
Gene Terry: recusal.
Bill Hughes from Indiana – Evidence; Sexual Assault
Robin, NJC:
- Grant funded 4th Amendment courses in old Miss. (Great location) – $500 for travel and
lodging is funded.
- On-line courses: ethics, evidence, DUI, rural courts, small claims.
- Will come to your regional conference to do a three-hour program. Ex: on substance abuse, decision
making, traffic, judicial writing.
Judge Michael Keasler from Texas – Judicial Ethics
PRI – prevention research institute
- Ray Dortty
- Tom Frostman
- Substance Abuse
- Eye witness identification in criminal cases
Jerry Wells from Iowa State University; 1-3 hour programs.
- ADA – Peter Blank, Professor at University of Iowa Law School; very engaging.
Choose top 5 recommendations
- 5 presenters and 5 presentations
-- NJC coming to your state conferences for 3 hours
-- Louis Phillips – training the trainer
-- Gary Wells – Eyewitness ID in criminal cases
-- Jim Dehn – Alt. Sentencing in Sub Abuse
-- Bill Hughes – Indiana Evidence
Dr. Otto Kak and Jim Clark – Importance of permanence and attachment in youth.
Diversity issues in home – contribute to long term psychiatric problems
• West Regional Meeting – April 21st in Tuscon, Arizona. April 18-20, larger conference
for court staff.
- Nevada – Faculty development
- California – Forensic Elder Abuse - Peter Jaffe
- Montana – Ron Hofer – Tim Terral
- Washington – Steven Moore – Law and Literature
- New Mexico – Robert Henry – Judicial Independence
- Oregon – methamphetamine
- Utah – cultural competency
- Nevada – ICM – caseflow management
- Vermont – Fish program: Court staff, Job behaviors
- New Hampshire – Change in work place program
- Washington, D.C – Addressing mental illness - mother growing up with mental illness;
now has mentally ill children
Western Regional Meeting
Western Regional Director, Diane Cowdrey, opened the meeting and welcomed all members. Everyone introduced themselves.
The first part of the meeting recognized the activities of the Western Region during the past year, including:
• Two Conference calls related to Board business
• Five training conference calls, hosted by different members of the Region
• Two states contributed to the Annual NASJE Conference as sponsors
• Two national organizations contributed to the Annual NASJE Conference as sponsors
• Needs assessment conducted for the region, as part of the planning process for a regional
conference
• Agenda developed for a Regional Conference; however, the conference was cancelled due to lack
of registrations
Following this, there was a discussion about the regional conference and what might work better in
the future. The group decided that it would be a good idea to link a regional conference with a program
that another state is already doing, and give NASJE members the option of coming to view the host state’s
program. Arizona members were still willing to host the regional conference, and suggested attaching
it to the program they are holding April 18-20, 2006 in Tucson. The program will including education
for staff and managers on ethics, customer service, management issues (recruitment, retaining staff),
and court interpreters.
Diane will send out information on this date and do a straw poll of members to see if attendance would
be sufficient to continue planning.
Others who are interested in helping to plan or to develop programming for the regional conference
include Claudia Fernandes (professional development piece), Joseph Sawyer (planning distance learning),
Michael Bell and Jennifer Schoenfelt. Arizona members are willing to assist with local arrangements
and conduct conference registration.
Another idea from the group was to link our conference schedules. Diane will ask each state to send
their schedule to her and will circulate to the region.
One member asked about satellite video, and whether other states were interested in developing general
topics to share.
After this discussion, Western region members went around the table and shared one to two successful
program ideas and/or outstanding faculty that they used during the past year:
Nevada. Conducted court staff training around the state. Sharon Bowman (NV) did faculty development
for staff and was excellent. Evie reported that she used Mary Sammon from ICM to do a caseflow management
program and she was well-received. They are running people through the Court Management Program from
ICM.
Utah. Justice Court Clerk day-long seminar on stress. Their conference also included a session on processing
DUI case, done as a musical. Pam Gardiol is an excellent instructor in management or team building
issues. Kris Prince talked about a Traffic Safety program that was conducted for Justice Court Judges,
and included Judge Michael Witte and Judge Bob Perraglia, which was very successful. Diane told the
group that they had conducted the first-ever program for Presiding Judges, focusing on communication
skills, using the book “Difficult Conversations.” Her faculty recommendation was Randee
Levine, who taught a series of cultural competency training program to clerks.
California. David reported that Dr. Laura Mosquda did an excellent presentation on forensic elder abuse
for probate judges. Michael used Professor Jody Armor (USC) to talk about unintentional bias in decision
making. He also recommended Kimberly Papillon-Turay (CA), who is an attorney and Judge David Krasnha,
who did a session racial profiling. Claudia discussed the Court Clerk Institute which is held regionally,
with broadcasts to supplement the program. The program is held in collaboration with the Clerks’ Association.
Karen noted the “Justi-Corp” program which uses college students to work in self-help centers.
They are partnering with universities in specialty areas, such as science. Video training called “Judicial
Shorts” are featured on their web page or available on DVD. They are using the Churchill Institute
for leadership training, which is based on Winston Churchill’s leadership style.
Washington. In the future, they will be developing a mobile computer lab, which will be added to their
Judicial College. Dr. Peter Jaffe did a presentation there on domestic violence. Judge Steven Moore
- a judge who is also a priest - did a session entitled “Holy Rollers” which was well received.
Montana. Ron Hofer did an excellent program on legal writing. They recently conducted a 2 -day class
for law clerks.
Arizona. Pam Lizardi reported that she is teaching a class for Mesa Community College so that court
staff can receive an associate’s degree in applied studies in judicial studies. They have a program
of tuition reimbursement. They will be taking this online, perhaps even a national program. Their New
Employee Orientation was recently revamped. Marna Murray reported on a program she did in Washington
State for appellate judges on the death penalty. They used both book and film, and included a tour
of the Walla Walla prison, including the death penalty chamber. Molly Croisan (OR) mentioned that she
includes such a prison tour in their new judge orientation. Marna also had a law professor/film critic
speaker who did a session on the Washington constitution. Julee Bruno talked about the Court Leadership
Program, aimed at improving succession planning in the courts. They have ICM do their concluding program
in Arizona and hold 2 ICM classes per year there. They recently received a BJA grant for judicial education.
They used an excellent speaker on teens and brain development for their juvenile court bench.
New Mexico. Pam Lambert reported on Judge Robert Henry (OK) who did a great session on judicial independence.
Paul talked about the on-line DUI Resource Library. They will be adding seat belt information in the
near future. They recently did a sexual assault web-based program, and have put their staff orientation
online. They used Tim Terrell (GA) for legal writing and Tom Langhorne (VA) to evaluate their magistrate
programming. Debbie said that they are using the Michigan State University Judicial Administration
Program, and had a great program with Terry Curry (MI) teaching human resource management.
National Judicial College. William Brunson noted a program using Judge Joseph Troy (MI) on search and
seizure was very good. He utilizes film in his program.
Oregon. Mollie held a regional judicial education program this year, which was a big success. They
partnered with the University of Oregon. They had appellate and trial court judges together in sessions,
and the interaction was very beneficial to both groups. They used a “buffet” style of training
for security training for staff. Dr. Jack Stump (Vancouver) did a great presentation on meth.
Southeast Regional Meeting
Report currently unavailable. We'll post it when we get it.
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