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 

Georgia Chief Justice First Recipient
 of National Award for Judicial Innovation

Williamsburg, VA (Jan. 29, 2004) – Georgia Chief Justice Norman S. Fletcher is the first recipient of the Harry L. Carrico Award for Judicial Innovation, presented by the National Center for State Courts. Chief Justice Fletcher received the award January 20 at the midyear meeting of the Conference of Chief Justices held in San Francisco last week.

The award is named after retired Chief Justice of Virginia Harry L. Carrico, who was instrumental in founding the National Center for State Courts in 1971. Chief Justice Carrico served on the National Center’s Board of Directors from 1987 to 1990, serving as chair from 1989 - 1990. The award—created last year when Chief Justice Carrico retired —was established to honor a sitting state court chief justice or justice who has inspired, sponsored, promoted, or led an innovation of national significance in the field of judicial administration.

Chief Justice Fletcher has accomplished all of the above, said Chief Justice of California Ronald George, who presented the award on behalf of the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts. Chief Justice Fletcher has made a significant and lasting impact in his work to improve the indigent defense system. He was the driving force behind the Chief Justice’s Commission on Indigent Defense, which resulted in the passage of groundbreaking legislation to improve Georgia’s indigent defense system. “It is fair to say that Chief Justice Fletcher staked the success of his term of office on championing the constitutional rights of the poor and disadvantaged,” said Chief Justice George, who is the current chair of the National Center’s Board and also president of the Conference of Chief Justices.   “His leadership, his innovative thinking and methods, and his accomplishments in indigent defense in Georgia set an example for other states and judiciaries to follow,” George said.  

Charles R. Morgan, executive vice president and general counsel of BellSouth Corporation, who chaired the Chief Justice’s Commission on Indigent Defense, also offered praise for Chief Justice Fletcher’s dedication to the mission of reforming Georgia’s systems of indigent defense.  “No one could have anticipated that we would achieve the enactment of significant legislation that would impact the lives of numerous individuals passing through Georgia’s courts,” Morgan commented.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a non-profit court reform organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. The National Center, founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, provides education, training, and technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts. The National Center also is taking the lead on several key issues facing the justice system. For example, it has established a major civil justice initiative, a multi-year project that is examining best practices in civil case management and how complex litigation procedures can be improved. Other national initiatives being driven by the National Center include judicial selection reform and increasing citizen participation in jury service.  

###