Outstanding Contribution to the Courts Award
Mr. Bruce Brannan  

     As a volunteer for the Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) since the Arizona Legislature established the program in 1979, Bruce Brannan has devoted more than 6,000 hours to reviewing the cases of children and making recommendations to the juvenile court on their behalf.
     In addition to volunteering on his local Foster Care Review Board, Mr. Brannan has served as chair of the local and state boards, and on the state board’s Annual Report Committee, the Community Outreach and Awareness Committee, and the Executive Committee. He has also served on numerous ad hoc committees created to address specific issues within FCRB.  
     Because of his passion and dedication to Arizona ’s children, Governor Janet Napolitano appointed him to the Governor’s Committee on CPS Reform, the Governor’s CPS Oversight Committee, and the Committee on Juvenile Courts. He stays informed of child welfare trends and works to ensure the program is accountable to the children it serves. In addition to his volunteer services, he is a Project Manager for Abacus Project Management.

 

Improving Public Trust and Confidence
The Honorable Ronald S. Reinstein Judge,
Superior Court in Maricopa County

    Appointed to the Superior Court in Maricopa County in 1985, the Honorable Ronald S. Reinstein serves on many committees and associations throughout Maricopa County , the State of Arizona , and the United States . He served as criminal presiding judge from 1990 to 1998, and associate presiding judge of the court from 1998 to 2000. Currently, Judge Reinstein serves on the Juvenile Court bench. 
     In March 2006, Chief Justice Ruth V. McGregor created the Commission on Victims in the Courts and appointed Judge Reinstein as Chair. The Commission reviews and submits policy recommendations and procedures to improve victim access and ensure fair treatment during their involvement in the criminal justice system. Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard named Judge Reinstein the 2006 recipient of the Attorney General’s
 Distinguished Service Award for Victims and Victims’ Rights. He was chosen for his leadership in assuring better treatment of crime victims.
     Judge Reinstein also serves on the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence, of which he chairs the Post-Conviction Issues Committee, the National Advisory Board of the U.S. Department of Justice Center for Sex Offender Management, and the Governor’s Children’s Justice Task Force.
     Judge Reinstein received his J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law in 1973 and his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in political science and zoology from Indiana University
in 1970.
Administration of Justice Award
Paul Julien Judicial Education Officer, Education Services Division Administrative Office of the Courts  

Paul Julien is the judicial educator for the Administrative Office of the Courts, working with limited jurisdiction courts across Arizona .
     Mr. Julien created “Res Nova” hotline, and has answered approximately 300 questions from judges. He coordinates with AOC Court Services and Legal Services to ensure internal consistency in responses.  With comments from Court Services and the Commission on Judicial Conduct, Mr. Julien revised the Mentor Program’s selection criteria and the application and selection process. In addition, all newly appointed limited jurisdiction court judges were matched with mentor judges through this program. New limited jurisdiction judges are also taught, mentored, and assisted by Mr. Julien through New Judge Orientation. In 2004,
he attended an advanced course on special courts jurisdiction through the National Judicial College .
     The intense two-week session brought together judges and leaders from across the United States to learn and discuss innovative ideas and strategies to improve Arizona ’s courts and New Judge Orientation.      Most recently, Mr. Julien designed and organized the 1st Judicial College of Arizona Judicial Training Academy for 43 judges on Forcible Entry and Detainer/Eviction (FED) cases. He prepared the curriculum, participant materials, and recruited faculty. The training received excellent evaluations.   
     On occasion, Mr. Julien is appointed to serve as a pro tempore judge for the State of Arizona in city and county justice courts in civil and criminal matters.
     Mr. Julien received his Master of Arts and a Doctor of Education from Northern Arizona University before earning his J.D. from the University of Arizona College of Law. He is also the Chairman of the Professionalism Committee of the State Bar of Arizona, and President of the Board of Directors of the Pima County Bar Association.


Providing Access to Swift, Fair Justice
James B. Reed, Esq.

     As the Chair of the Accessibility Subcommittee to the State Bar of Arizona Committee on Persons in the Legal Profession with Disabilities, James Reed was the leading force behind a statewide survey of Arizona courthouses evaluating access to courthouse facilities by disabled individuals. This is the first known survey of its kind in the United States .
     With Mr. Reed’s persistence and the help of other committee members and volunteers, 39 courthouses were visited in each of Arizona ’s 15 counties. He worked with presiding judges and court administrators to review current practices and make recommendations to guarantee that access is not denied to any disabled person. In many instances, changes were immediately implemented.
     The finished survey and report can be viewed at www.azbar.org/Legal/Resources/TF/2005CourthouseSurvey.cfm. The final report is used as a guideline for other courts statewide and throughout the nation.
     Mr. Reed is a partner at Baird Williams & Greer LLP in Phoenix .
E-Citation Project - Tucson City Court

     In the Summer of 2005, Tucson City Court and the Tucson Police Department worked with Advanced Public Safety (APS) to establish an Electronic Citation Management System. This eliminates the need for Tucson Police Officers to hand-write citations, and allows the Court to  successfully receive the citations electronically and download them to AZTEC, the Court’s case management system.
     More than 23,000 citations have successfully transferred from the officers’ electronic citation writer (handheld device) to AZTEC. This saves court personnel time and increases data accuracy. While, a handwritten citation may take up to a week to reach the
 Court, by using the handheld device, citation information is available to court staff and customers within 24 hours of the officer docking the handheld at the end of his or her shift.
     Tucson City Court has sponsored several demonstrations of the E-Citation Project throughout the Tucson and Phoenix areas to law enforcement and court personnel. This has resulted in other agencies looking to incorporate the same or similar programs, further increasing access to swift, fair justice.


Protecting Children, Families and Communities
Family Court – The Maricopa Model - Superior Court in Maricopa County

     Under the leadership of the Honorable Norman Davis, Family Court Presiding Judge, a comprehensive plan to restructure Family Court was established. The plan was based on the findings of a study addressing issues and challenges attorneys, litigants, and families experienced with dealing with Family Court. This is known as the Maricopa Model and includes 29 initiatives. Some of the initiatives include:

          -    Decree on Demand: Reduces litigants’ waiting time to obtain default or consent decrees, or orders.
          -    Post Decree Child Support Court : Reduces the average time to modify child support.
               Early Resolution Triage Program: Self-representing litigants in contested cases meet with staff   
               members to mediate their differences.
          -    Uniform Case Management: Promptly and fairly resolves each case with a specific process   
             designed or  that case and others with similar characteristics.
     The new case management system has reduced the number of open family cases by 29 percent; and most changes were implemented without budgetary impact.
     The Maricopa Model is a dramatic and innovative change that has reduced unnecessary delay for litigants. It allows self-represented litigants a structure to move their cases forward and reduces frustration. This, in turn, reduces financial hardship and trauma to family relationships.

Family Law Bench Child Support Program Superior Court in Pima County

 The Family Law Bench in Pima County developed and implemented a program that assists pro per clients at domestic default hearings, collaborating with the University of Arizona College of Law and the Volunteer Lawyers Program.
     Under the supervision of a volunteer attorney, law students meet with underrepresented litigants prior to final divorce hearings in Superior Court to ensure that children receive their legally entitled child support, and have access to safe shelter, education and medical care. The students prepare new and accurate documents if the child support amount is incorrect.
     The Court volunteers their time to train the law students, provides space for the students and volunteer attorneys to meet with clients, and financially

supports the project. They also equip the project with computers and provide the necessary technical support. 
     More than 700 Pima County residents are directly served annually through the Child Support Project – 85 percent of those had incorrectly calculated their support.


Being Accountable
Permanency Planning Mediation Program - Superior Court in Yavapai County 
     The Permanency Planning Mediation Program (PPM), instituted in December 2004, orders that a permanency planning mediation be held in all newly filed dependency cases. This is scheduled so that true permanency planning and realistic discussions regarding prompt outcomes for children in the child welfare system can occur prior or to the permanency hearing. Facilitated by a court mediator, the parties engage in a candid discussion of the legal timeframes for permanency determinations.
They also discuss:
          ·       Each of the options available;
          ·       Consideration of the most appropriate plan;
          ·       Identification of a concurrent plan when appropriate;
          ·       Review of services designed to achieve the plan;
          ·       Identification of barriers to achieving the case plan goal; and
          ·       A long-term strategy for the care of the child.
     The entire process focuses on the accountability and obligations of all involved parties, including the obligation of Child Protective Services to provide services.
     Presiding Judge Robert M. Brutinel, Kathy McCormick, Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator/Conciliation Court Director, and Patricia Trebesch , Unit Chief Counsel of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office in Prescott provide the commitment and leadership to continually improve the program, benefiting children and families while remaining accountable to the law.
Justice 2025 Strategic Planning Forum Courts in Coconino County

     The limited and general jurisdiction courts in Coconino County held a strategic planning forum with individuals from agencies in and out of the court system to seek input and assistance in determining the types of services the Courts should provide by 2025.  Court leadership will develop a project implementation strategy to improve services for court system customers based on the five focus areas of forum.
  •  Focus areas:
         ·     Quality and Access to Justice
         ·     Structure and Administration
         ·     Facilities and Operations
         ·     Information and Technology
         ·     Community Outreach and Partnerships
               Members of the Flagstaff City Council, Coconino County Board of Supervisors, city and county    
               staff, attorneys, professors, citizens and high school students attended the forum.
               The Justice 2025 management team made year long preparations for the forum. 
  • The team includes:  
             ·     Honorable Fred Newton, Presiding Judge, Superior Court in Coconino County  
         ·         Gary Krcmarik, Coconino County Court Administrator
         ·         Donald Jacobson, Flagstaff Municipal Court Administrator  
         ·         Joy Dillehay, Coconino County Deputy Court Administrator  
         ·         Martha Delgadillo, Superior Court Administrative Senior Manager  
         ·         Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey, PR AXIS Consulting  
         ·         Dennis Metrick, Court Operations Director, Maricopa County Justice Courts
         ·         Sharon Sawicky, Justice 2025 Project Manager
    •

         The Forum helped set priorities for the future of Coconino County's courts and bring members of all three branches of government together.


    Employees Being Accountable
    Williams J. Harkins III, Probation Officer
    Superior Court in Maricopa County

             William J. Harkins has served eight years in the Fugitive Apprehension Unit of the Adult Probation Department in Maricopa County . As a member of this unit, Officer Harkins tracks down and arrests probation violators who have become more dangerous due to increases in methamphetamine use and firearms possession. 
             Highly respected among his peers and supervisors, Officer Harkins is dedicated to the department’s mission and always acts professionally toward probationers. He frequently volunteers for problem cases and provides assistance to junior officers. He resolves public safety concerns immediately and without hesitation; and continually produces excellent arrest numbers. 
             Officer Harkins is the first probation officer from the department to be deputized as a U.S. Marshal. 
             This past year, Officer Harkins was shot and seriously injured while on-duty. Through months of hospitalization and physical therapy he has maintained a positive attitude, and continues to be a source of inspiration for probation officers throughout Arizona.
    The U.S. Department of Justice, the Arizona Probation Chiefs, and his own department have all honored him as Officer of the Year. 
             The Award’s Committee is pleased to honor Officer Harkins for his substantial contributions to public protection and increasing the public’s confidence in the courts.
    Ron Beguin, Information Systems and Technology Director
    Phoenix Municipal Court

         Considered the “Master Architect” of the Phoenix Municipal Court’s Case Management System (CMS), Ron Beguin has a 17-year history of improving efficiency by applying technology to court systems.        
             He serves on the Arizona State Court System Commission on Technology’s Court Automation Coordinating Committee, and the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Systems Integration Policy Committee.     
              Mr. Beguin oversees the integrity and safety of CMS data, and the support and interface to city and statewide systems including:          
              ·       Crime Analysis
              ·       Statewide Domestic Violence Orders Repository  
              ·       Fines/Fees and Restitution Enforcement (FARE)  

              ·       Environmental Complaint Processing    He implemented an Electronic Documents   
                      Management System that utilizes magnetic media storage while eliminating manual intervention
                      for data retrieval.    
             The implementation adhered to this success is associated to Mr. Beguin’s dedication, leadership style, integrity, and his commitment to continuous technological improvements. He has earned the respect of his staff, court management, City of     Phoenix leaders and members of other government agencies.   
             Phoenix Municipal Court has many opportunities to achieve optimum results for public access, and ensuring the efficient operation of the courtrooms and case processing because of Mr. Beguin’s hard work and innovation.

    Improving Communications and Cooperation with the Community, Other Branches of Government, and within the Judicial Branch
    Criminal Justice Forum:  Building a Safer Community Through Awareness and Change - Superior Court in Pinal County

             Elected officials representing the criminal justice system collaborated to host eight public forums throughout Pinal County to raise public awareness of the courts and criminal justice system. The forums were held April to June 2005 in each of the eight Justice of the Peace precincts.      
             Former Presiding Superior Court Judge William J. O’Neil,
    County Attorney Robert Carter, and Sheriff Chris Vasquez participated in each forum. Each Justice of the Peace participated in his or her precinct: the Honorable Kema Granillo – Florence/Coolidge, the Honorable Phil Bain – Casa Grande, the Honorable Marie A. Lorona – Eloy, the Honorable Joe A. Ruiz – Mammoth, the Honorable Ellie Brown – Oracle, the Honorable Bruce Griffith – Superior, the Honorable Dennis Lusk – Apache Junction, and the Honorable Scott Sulley – Maricopa.      
             Citizens were asked to complete a survey at the conclusion of the forum. The survey found that 81 percent of attendees agreed they had a better understanding of the courts and criminal justice system; and 86 percent agreed they must play a role in the responsibility of community’s safety.    
             Not only did the community benefit from the forums; there is now an increased understanding and collaboration between the involved agencies. These collaborations have resulted in the establishment of mentor programs using community volunteers in local schools by the Juvenile Court Services Department, increased participation of county leadership on court committees, and among many other accomplishments.
    Gila County Probation Department and Gila County School Superintendent Collaboration - Superior Court in Gila County

             In June 2005, Gila County Chief Probation Officer Dr. Hellen J. Carter and Gila County School Superintendent Dr. Linda O’Dell developed a concept to create a “probation” school that provides a quality education to youth who don’t succeed in traditional education venues, or who have been released from detention. The Globe and Payson Education Centers were created to fill this need.     
    Probation Officer involvement is essential to the program. The officers teach the students the Life Skills program developed by the National Curriculum Training Institute of Phoenix. The students are responding to the curriculum in a positive way; and when visiting the Globe center, Congressman Rick Renzi was impressed with the level of introspection the youth had in the curriculum discussion topics.      
             Sixty-two students have enrolled in the     Globe Education Center since opening on Sept. 17, 2005 , and 25 students attend the Payson Education Center since it opened on Feb. 6, 2006 .      
             Overall, the Gila County Probation Department connecting with the school system has allowed the students to realize the importance of education.
    Spanish DUI Court
    Superior Court in Maricopa County

             The Spanish DUI Court in Maricopa County , one of the first of its kind in the nation, helps defendants accept responsibility and rehabilitate themselves using the Drug Court model started in Maricopa County in 1998.      
             Although traditional     DUI Court helped Spanish speaking defendants, many of the benefits were lost because of poor language translation. In 2001, the Spanish DUI Court was created and operates in tandem with the regular DUI Courts. The program is conducted in Spanish, and considers cultural differences so defendants respond more positively to status hearings and treatment.         
    Defendants are able to understand all of the proceedings in Spanish DUI Court , and can see and understand their peers being rewarded and sanctioned for their performance in the program; this in turn motivates the participant to succeed.        The program assists defendants in the following areas:       
                  ·    Acknowledge responsibility for their actions;     
              ·    Reduce their use of alcohol and drug use;       
                  ·    Reintegrate them into the community;       
                  ·    Reduce their likelihood of re-offending;       
                  ·    Reintegrate them into their families;
              ·    Increase their employment status; and       
                  ·    Increase their re-enrollment in school, where applicable. 
            The program takes a minimum of one year to successfully complete, and approximately 88 percent of participants graduate.         The Spanish DUI Courts provide a vital link in the chain of accountability, in order to preserve community safety.


    Serving the Community by Improving the Legal Profession
    Judicial Formation Program
    Superior Court in Maricopa County

             The “Judicial Formation Program” provides a foundation for new judges to help them appreciate their role in assuring public trust and confidence in the courts. Judges and commissioners who have served for three years or less spend time together each month to increase collegiality and teamwork. Topics include:    
                ·  The Judge as a Person
                ·  Fairness and Access to the Court    
                    ·  Stress and Dealing with Difficult People    
                    ·  Cultural Competency    
                    ·  A View from the Eyes of the Presiding Judge
                ·  Listening and Emotional Intelligence
                ·  How to be Courteous and Professional with the Jury
                ·  Looking Back on a Judicial Career – the Court from the
                   Eyes of Recently or Soon to be Retired Judges
         The Judicial Formation Program focuses on personal growth and development to improve the profession of judicial officers. The program also helps deepen their understanding of how the vocation of a judge differs from the role as a lawyer. Judges and commissioners have appreciated the opportunity to participate, and believe they are better judges and citizens as a result.
    David Tierney, Esq
    (    accepting award for David Tierney, Susan Tierney)

         A successful private attorney, David Tierney volunteers extensively to the community by contributing legal expertise, business savvy and communication skills.
         Mr. Tierney served on an advisory committee that helped the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department with strategic planning and prioritizing. His desire, commitment and skill led to the creation of the Restorative Justice Resources Coalition (RCJC), a nonprofit organization comprised of private citizens that request and receive private funds and expands partnership capabilities.
         RCJC assists probationers and probation programs in     Arizona , focusing on education and vocational opportunities. Mr. Tierney has been an active board member since RCJC’s inception. The organization has assisted GED graduates of LEARN Centers. Project LEARN, established by the Arizona Supreme Court, addresses the high correlation between crime and illiteracy and teaches juveniles and
    adults to read and write. The coalition also selects projects that benefit the community and use the labor of supervised probationers completing community service to repair and upgrade buildings and properties.
         RCJC assisted     Maricopa County ’s Head Start schools by securing building materials and tools at little or no cost, as well as pro bono architectural services and cash donations. Their work alleviated delays and obstacles on the construction projects. In the past year alone, 75 projects were completed at 12 sites that include Head Start and community centers. The probationers learn new skills and make meaningful contributions in their own neighborhoods. This coalition and its successes could not have occurred without Mr. Tierney’s leadership. 
         With Mr. Tierney’s efforts, many different entities have made successful connections ensuing positive results for the judicial branch and the community. With extraordinary skill and dedication, he brings the right people together and keeps working until the vision has become a reality. The Arizona Judicial Branch is grateful for his service