Welcome to Center Court
Vol. 9, No. 2
Winter 2006 

A newsletter published for the Court Community by the National Center for State Courts, featuring news about projects, programs, and people in the courts and dedicated to helping courts anticipate change and better serve the public.

NOTE:  There will be no print version of this issue of Center Court.

In this issue

NCSC honors leadership during fall events in Washington, D.C. 

Each fall the National Center for State Courts enjoys a long weekend in Washington, D.C., where the annual Rehnquist Award is presented, the latest Burger Society members are honored, and meetings are held for the NCSC Board of Directors and committees.

Rehnquist dinner caps fall events

On Thursday evening in the Great Hall of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Edward R. Brunner, judge of the Circuit Court, Branch II, Barron County, Wisconsin, was honored with the judicial award named for fellow Wisconsinite William H. Rehnquist. NCSC, by authority of its board of directors and with the approval of the late chief justice of the United States, created the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence in 1996. The award is presented annually to a state court judge who, in the opinion of the selection committee, possesses the qualities of judicial excellence exemplified by Chief Justice Rehnquist.

After an introduction by Justice Ann Walsh Bradley of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and brief remarks by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Brunner came forward to accept his award. Judge Brunner, who called the Rehnquist Award an “exclamation mark” on his career, thanked the many friends and family members in the audience, then spoke of his concerns regarding judicial independence.

“It’s my belief that judicial independence and public trust and confidence in the courts are inextricably linked,” said Judge Brunner. “Faith and trust in judges and the courts begins in each of our communities, in each of our courts. When that trust is earned, nurtured, and preserved at the state and local level, citizens are less likely to respond to the demagoguery of interest groups of rogue congressman. It is the judges and administrators of the state courts who are the point men and women in this effort to earn the public’s confidence.”

 Chief Justice Roberts addresses the Rehnquist dinner

Judge Brunner was first elected to the bench in 1988 and was reelected in 1994, 2000, and 2006. In 2001 the Wisconsin Supreme Court selected him to serve as one of the state’s 10 chief judges, and in 2004 he was elected by his fellow chief judges to serve as chair of the Committee of Chief Judges, a position informally known as “Chief of Chiefs.”

Judge Brunner has devoted his judicial career to improving access to, and satisfaction with, the court system. In 2005 he received the State Bar of Wisconsin’s 2005 Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award. In nominating Judge Brunner for the Rehnquist Award, Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson cited Brunner’s extraordinary leadership in the judicial community and his hard work on a wide variety of administrative issues, such as court security and staffing, judicial workload, language interpreters, continuing education for judges, and more.

“(Judge Brunner’s) contributions to the development of the law, his independence, his work to create real access to justice for all people, and his remarkable skill and dedication in building partnerships with the legal community, the Indian nations and the public have all made him an outstanding leader in the law,” she said.

NCSC honors supporters at recognition luncheon

At its annual recognition luncheon, held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel the following day, the National Center honored many of its longtime supporters.

Curtis H. Barnette, chair of the NCSC Board of Directors Development Committee, recognized four 20-year corporate and law-firm contributors. The Boeing Co. and the law firms of Cravath, Swain and Moore, Hunton and Williams, and King and Spalding joined a group of more than 35 of America’s leading companies and law firms that have achieved this special distinction.

Four new members were inducted into the Warren E. Burger Society by Robert M. Bell, chief judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland and chair of the NCSC Board of Directors, and John G. Roberts, Jr., chief justice of the United States. The 2006 inductees were Judge Sandra Ann Thompson of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles; Robert B. McCaw, senior partner in the New York office of Wilmer-Hale and cochair of the law firm’s Securities Department; Theodore J. Fetter, New Jersey’s deputy administrative director of the courts; and Kim M. Brunner, executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary of State Farm Insurance Companies.  

NCSC strives to increase public awareness about the third branch of government

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase public awareness about the role courts play in a democratic society, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has started three new initiatives to help court leaders take a more active role in educating the public:   a password-protected, online Speakers Bureau, a poster series, and an illustrated novel. These initiatives provide tools and resources for judges and other court professionals to use when addressing the public and aim at creating a unified message that judges are neutral and impartial decision makers who decide cases according to the law.

The Speakers Bureau, launched in November, provides a set of tools to help judges address the public about judicial independence and the role of courts in society.  The Web site provides prepared speeches written by judges and other court professionals that can be downloaded and used verbatim or modified to fit individual situations and style. Additional speeches are available for reference material. In addition, the Web site includes a section of Tips and Tools, such as talking points and suggested wording expected to best resonate with the public. The Speakers Bureau also provides a resource page of materials, including links to those online, which present an overall look at judicial independence across the country.

NCSC created the Speakers Bureau strictly for court professionals, requiring registration to access the materials.  

The Speakers Bureau will constantly be updated, and the NCSC asks the court community to contribute speeches and other resources to the site.  Speeches can be identified as either available for reuse or solely as a resource and not for replication.  Ideas and suggestions to make the Web site most useful to the court community are encouraged and welcomed. 

In addition to the Speakers Bureau, NCSC is in the final stages of developing a graphic, or illustrated, novel about how the justice system works. The graphic novel describes the experience of two people, an elderly woman and her granddaughter (a college student) and their experiences with the courts. The book can be used in jury rooms, provided to civic groups, or used as a teaching supplement.  It is expected to be available by summer 2007.

The poster series, which tells short stories of how the courts help protect the public, should be available in spring 2007. These posters can be displayed in public spaces or used when making public addresses. 

CCJSCA brings annual meeting to nation’s capitol Seventy-two former, current, and incoming chief judges gathered in Washington, D.C., in November for the annual conference of the Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal. This was CCJSCA’s first conference since beginning its affiliation with the National Center for State Courts in 2005.  

“The council’s educational conference in Washington, D.C., in November 2006, was a resounding success,” said Arthur G. Scotland, CCJSCA president. “Its educational programs included a presentation by Justice Antonin Scalia (pictured at left), and its special events were highlighted by the remarks of Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., welcoming us to a reception in the Upper Great Hall of the United States Supreme Court, and by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg responding to questions from members and guests.”

Twenty-three speakers provided the chief judges with education and insights into a wide range of topics from the changing role and mission of state courts of appeal to appellate court performance measures. In addition to Justice Scalia, who spoke about principles of constitutional interpretation, speakers included Kenneth R. Feinberg, former special master of the Federal September 11 Victim Compensation Fund, and Mary McQueen, NCSC president.

NCSC provides new resources for courts 

Each year the National Center for State Courts produces a number of books, monographs, and periodicals full of useful information for the court community.  Here are a few highlights from 2006.

Examining the Work of State Courts and State Court Caseload Statistics—These popular annual reports from NCSC’s Court Statistics Project offer not only the most up-to-date analysis of state court operations, but also a new online interactive feature that makes them more accessible and easier to understand.  Readers are now able to search, copy, and paste information from the report, with the option of customizing their search to a specific state, type or filing, and population. 

Future Trends in State Courts 2006—This long-running series compiled by NCSC’s Knowledge and Information Services examines trends that courts need to watch.  This year’s edition features a section of short essays on “Ten Trends Impacting State Courts” (such as privacy and public access and problem-solving courts), followed by articles that take “A Closer Look” at three key areas:  courthouse security, technology, and special courts and programs.   Future Trends is available online, as well as in print (due out in late December) or pdf format.

Survey of Judicial Salaries (vol. 31, no.1)—The Knowledge and Information Services office also publishes this biannual newsletter that reports judicial salaries nationwide.  The next issue of the Survey (due out in January 2007) will also compare judicial salaries by region.

Jury Trial Innovations (2nd ed.)—This new edition of NCSC’s popular guide to improving jury service concentrates on the model of the “interactive juror”—that is, on how jurors organize information, how to keep jurors actively involved in trial proceedings, and how jurors test what they see and hear against their own beliefs and values.  JTI examines innovations in six areas:  Jury Administration and Management, Voir Dire, Pretrial Management, Trial Procedures, Jury Instructions and Deliberations, and Post-Verdict Considerations.  Copies can be ordered through NCSC’s online bookstore accessible through the “Communications” page on NCSC’s Web site.

“Technology and Courts,” a special issue of the Justice System Journal (vol. 27, no. 3)—The latest issue of NCSC’s refereed, scholarly journal discusses the relationship of technology and court processes.  Articles examine how new technology affects the work of a judge, the influence of the Internet on organized-interest litigation before the Supreme Court, issues surrounding online court records, and other topics.  Three Legal Notes also look at cases involving technology and the use of electronic filing in federal appellate courts.  Subscribe to JSJ through NCSC’s online bookstore.

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