2004
William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence
Judge
Leonard Perry Edwards II
Santa
Clara County Superior Court Judge Leonard Perry Edwards II has been named
recipient of the 2004 William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence by the
National Center for State Courts. One of the most prestigious judicial honors in
the country, the Rehnquist Award is presented annually to a state court judge
who exemplifies the highest level of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness,
and professional ethics. Chief Justice of the United States William H. Rehnquist
will present the award to Judge Edwards at a ceremony Nov. 18 in the Great Hall
of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
“Judge Edwards is one of
the most effective and progressive trial judges in America, especially in the
area of juvenile and family courts,” said Mary Campbell McQueen, president of
the National Center. “Judge Edwards stands out, not only for his numerous
achievements, but also for his leadership style, which has positively influenced
courts in California, the nation, and the world.”
Santa Clara County Superior
Court Presiding Judge Richard Turrone, who nominated Judge Edwards, describes
him as “an extraordinary judge and an innovative thinker.” During Judge
Edwards’ nearly 25 years on the bench, “his contributions to the judicial
branch have been multidimensional – as a judge, a teacher, a trainer, a
writer, an organizer, and a leader,” Judge Turrone wrote in his nominating
letter. “He has had a broad impact on the judiciary, primarily in juvenile and
family courts, domestic violence prevention and intervention, judicial
leadership, court coordination, and children in courts.”
In Santa Clara County, Judge
Edwards’ efforts resulted in the juvenile dependency court being designated a
national model by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. This
court is one of the most visited courts in the country, with hundreds of legal
professions traveling there to observe and learn the model practices Judge
Edwards implemented, such as dependency court mediation, family group
conferencing, direct calendaring, and court coordination. In 1999, Judge Edwards
established one of the country’s first dependency drug treatment court, which
has been named a Mentor Court by the National Institute of Drug Court
Professionals.
Internationally, Judge
Edwards worked with Rotary International in efforts to provide permanent homes
for street children in Latin America. Most notably, in Brazil he worked to
persuade judges to consider placing homeless children with families instead of
institutions.
Two other California judges
have received the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence: Chief
Justice of the California Supreme Court Ronald M. George in 2002; and Judge
Veronica S. McBeth of Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1998.
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