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 or lmontgomery@ncsc.dni.us
Hawaii Chief Justice Receives Top
Award
From National Court Organization
Williamsburg, VA (Jan. 6, 2003) – Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court Ronald T. Y. Moon has been named recipient of the 2003 Distinguished Service Award, one of the highest awards presented by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to a person who has made longstanding contributions to the improvement of the justice system and who has supported the mission of the National Center.
“As a leader in this country’s court system, Chief Justice Moon has built a reputation as someone who cares deeply about improving the justice system and supporting the mission of the National Center as the preeminent national court reform organization,” said Roger K. Warren, NCSC president. Warren will present Chief Justice Moon the award in February during a special ceremony in Hawaii.
Through his many years
on the bench, Chief Justice Moon has worked diligently to improve the
public’s trust and confidence in the courts – a cornerstone of the
work of the National Center, Warren said. Along the way, Chief Justice
Moon has made significant contributions to Hawaii’s judiciary by
steadfastly focusing on three basic goals: enhancing the administration
of justice, increasing access to the courts, and preserving the
independence of the third branch of government.
Chief Moon’s achievements in these areas are far-reaching. He created a Judicial Performance Program – one of only 13 in the country – which reflects his belief that one of the first steps in improving the public’s confidence in the courts is for judges to have a mechanism for self-improvement. He established the Hawaii Committee on Jury Innovations for the 21st century, which explores ways to make the jury system more effective and efficient. And, as a result of Chief Justice Moon’s strong support of alternative dispute resolution programs, the Hawaii judiciary implemented the Appellate Mediation Program in 1995, which has cut court costs and provided wider accessibility to the justice system for many citizens.
Since 1998, Chief Justice Moon has served as chair of the Conference of Chief Justice’s Access to and Fairness in the Courts Committee, and as chair of the Americans with Disability Act Resource Center Advisory Committee. He has long played a leadership role in the Conference of Chief Justices, for which NCSC serves as executive staff. Before being named Chief Justice of Hawaii in 1993, Chief Justice Moon served as associate justice and circuit court judge. Previously he was a law clerk, a deputy prosecutor for the City and County of Honolulu, and a partner in private practice.
The National Center for State Courts, founded with the encouragement of Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership, service and education to the state courts. The National Center carries out this mission through its offices in Williamsburg, Va., Washington, D.C. and Denver, Co.
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