NEWS RELEASE

The National Center for State Courts
300 Newport Avenue · Williamsburg, Virginia  23185

Contact:
Lorri Montgomery
Communications Manager
The National Center for State Courts
757.259.1525

 Chief Justice of California Joins
 National Court Reform Organization

Williamsburg, VA., (June 2, 2002) – Ronald M. George, Chief Justice of California and Chair of the Judicial Council of California, recently joined the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts, an independent non-profit organization that serves as a leader for court improvement for the nation’s state courts.

“We are honored that Chief Justice George has joined The National Center’s Board of Directors,” said Roger K. Warren, president of The National Center. “Chief Justice George has been an outstanding leader in the court community and is such a positive force in the California state court system. During his time on the bench, Chief Justice George has overseen some of the most significant initiatives and reforms in the history of California’s courts, such as the transition from local to state funding of the trial courts, the unification of trial courts, a comprehensive program to increase the number and quality of court interpreters, and ongoing advances in the use of technology to improve court efficiency and access. These factors are critical to improving the public’s trust and confidence in the courts, which is a major initiative of The National Center. Chief Justice George’s knowledge and experience are invaluable to The National Center.”

Chief Justice George was appointed to the Supreme Court of California in 1991 by Gov. Pete Wilson and was named 27th Chief Justice of California in 1996. Prior to joining the state Supreme Court bench, Chief Justice George served on the state Court of Appeal, the Los Angeles Superior Court, and in 1972 was appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan.

In 1989, Chief Justice George joined the California Judicial Council, becoming chair in 1996. Chief Justice George is a lecturer at numerous judicial education programs, law schools, bar associations, law enforcement agencies and news media seminars. Throughout his career, Chief Justice George has received numerous awards, from “Justice of the Year,” in 1997 to the Consumer Attorneys of California to “Person of the Year,” in 1996 by Los Angeles Metropolitan News to the recipient of the President’s Cup of the California Judges Association, as the judge who did the most for the state judiciary during the year.

The National Center for State Courts, founded in 1971 by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger, is dedicated to improving the administration of justice and provides leadership, research, technology, education and training to state courts. The National Center, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., also has taken the lead on several key issues that face the justice system, such the Civil Justice Reform Initiative, which is a multi-year program to address issues of access, complexity, costliness, and delay in civil proceedings.

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