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Justice for a Better Arizona Awards |
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Protecting Children, Families and Communities Winners have demonstrated substantial or creative contributions in helping courts protect Arizona's children, families and communities by providing them with an independent, neutral forum for resolving disputes; dispensing justice in a fair and equitable manner; improving how children and families are served in issues of family law; ensuring that juvenile detention facilities are available, safe and secure; or by delivering probation services providing public protection and offender accountability. Detention Substance Abuse Treatment (DSAT), Yavapai County Juvenile Court Services
West Yavapai and Verde Valley Guidance Clinics provide the intensive treatment component gratis and local providers, community volunteers and staff offer the other program components. DSAT engages detained youth in a regimen of:
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Humanities AED 088 Introduction to Quality
Living and T.A.A.G. (Teens Adopt a Grandparent), Bullhead City Municipal
Court
The class introduces the student to the liberal arts and sciences and includes:
The program’s goal is to reduce recidivism while increasing a defendant’s awareness of self-worth and self-esteem. Indeed, many defendants have returned to school to obtain their G.E.D. while others have made the decision to go to college. T.A.A.G., also designed by the Bullhead City Municipal Court, creates a relationship between teens and nursing home residents by matching a teen with a "grandparent," thereby fostering a sense of responsibility for others while enhancing the teen’s social skills and improving his/her self-worth. It also teaches teens skills needed to interact with the elderly, and is a source for Community Work Service. The Court partnered with the Silver Ridge Village
Nursing Home and each "grandchild" visits their
"grandparent" for a minimum of fifteen minutes at least once a
month. This interaction might take the form of assisting their
"grandparent" in letter writing or reading, even giving them
manicures. As a club, the T.A.A.G. kids also assist with the nursing home’s
monthly activities or special events. |
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Providing
Access to Swift, Fair Justice
Winners have demonstrated substantial or creative contributions in helping citizens, victims, litigants and defendants obtain access to a fair and swift process for resolving civil or criminal disputes; ensuring that resources are adequate; and, ensuring court procedures, policies and practices are consistent with providing access to swift, fair justice. E-Filing/Court Automation, Court of Appeals, Division II (from left: Judge Jan Florez, Judge Phillip G. Espinosa, Chief Justice Jones)
This benefit also complements the court’s internal
environment which permits the court’s judges and staff to review
electronically the trial or administrative record in pending cases, as
well as the appellate briefs and the court’s own orders. |
| Regional Court Centers,
Superior Court in Maricopa County
The three centers are: The Downtown RCC, which
processes felony cases from east Phoenix (two courts), south Phoenix,
central Phoenix, west Phoenix, northeast Phoenix, Buckeye, and Gila Bend
justice courts; the Northwest RCC Center, which processes felony cases
from the justice courts of Glendale, Peoria, northwest Phoenix,
Tolleson, Maryvale, and Wickenburg; and, the Southeast RCC, which
processes felony cases from north Mesa, south Mesa, east Mesa, west
Mesa, east Tempe, west Tempe, Scottsdale, and Chandler justice courts. |
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Connecting
with the Community
Winners have demonstrated substantial or creative contributions to implementing programs that improve how the Arizona Judicial Branch listens to communities; establishing effective methods of communication between citizens and courts; or by providing education or learning opportunities that increase public awareness about the court system. Commission on Minorities, Arizona Supreme Court (from left: Ted Wilson, Chief Justice Jones, Gerald P. Richard II)
With the Report’s findings that minority youth are still more likely to be referred to juvenile court, be detained, and face trial in adult court than are Anglo youth, the COM has actively participated in the Building Blocks initiative as part of a multi-state effort to resolve the overrepresentation issue and has initiated a coordinated strategy for encouraging collaboration among state agencies and organizations involved in the Juvenile Justice system to maximize resources and share responsibilities. The COM also brought to the forefront, the issue of
qualified court interpreters. It proposed recommendations addressing
training, certification, legislation and court rules, and oversight and
management of interpreters, which were accepted by the Arizona Judicial
Council (AJC). |
| Community Huddle, Pinal County
Department of Juvenile Court Services
Community citizens from the Tri-Community area were asked to meet with Juvenile Court Services to learn the court’s functions; the roles of the officers; and, what programs are available to the community’s youth. The Huddle resulted in community members accepting
responsibility for the youth in their community; increasing the knowledge
of court staff regarding community activities; and, establishing a more
cooperative spirit on behalf of the community’s youth. |
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Being
Accountable
Winners have demonstrated substantial or creative contributions in using taxpayer resources wisely to achieve desired results; establishing and meeting court standards; linking performance with budget; maintaining ongoing strategic planning; and, continuing and enhancing judicial performance review. Rules of Civil Traffic Procedure, Honorable George Anagnost, Peoria Municipal Court Because of Peoria Justice Court’s Judge George Anagnost’s initiative, the adoption of the Rules of Civil Traffic Procedure brings clarification, simplification, and uniformity between various case types regarding appellate processes. The revised rules will benefit: |
| Development of Specialized
Centers in Mental Health, Probation Revocation, Family Violence and Family
Courts Enhancement Program, Maricopa County Superior Court
The proximity of probation staff, public defenders and county attorney staff fosters a collaborative team approach to cases; enhances Adult Probation’s ability to manage offenders and hold them accountable for their actions; and, ensures defendants receive a fair and impartial hearing quickly. The Mental Health Calendar is the first step in providing a full range of services for severely mentally ill probation violators and making consistent judicial decisions in criminal cases involving the mentally ill. The Study Committee’s ultimate goal is to coordinate services with the Court’s Probate and Mental Health Department and with justice and municipal courts throughout the county. As with mental health, a Family Violence Task Force had been working on a plan for a Family Violence Court for some time. Judge Hyatt helped the Task Force develop a family violence calendar that encourages fair and impartial administration of justice; consistent judicial decision making; a stop to continued violence; protection to families and children; increased offender accountability; and, enhanced community protection by demonstrating that family violence is not tolerated. |
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Distinguished Service Awards
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Improving Public Trust and Confidence Award
Winners of this award will have accomplished an outstanding achievement in improving public trust and confidence in the courts by inspiring confidence that individual rights are being protected and ensuring that all citizens are being treated fairly. Achievements may be through the judge's judicial or administrative efforts in providing education or training; implementing projects or programs in the judge's court, or in other state courts; or, supporting the strategic initiatives of Justice for a Better Arizona, or other demonstrated achievement in this area. Nomination may be for a specific project or effort, or for multiple projects or efforts throughout the judge's career. Judge Louis Frank Dominguez, Phoenix Municipal Court
When the position of chair became vacant midway through the revision process, Phoenix Municipal Court Judge Louis Frank Dominguez agreed to serve. Judge Dominguez assisted in developing assessments and introduced the concept and value of assessments as a positive educational tool. Under his leadership, the committee designed a program
that teaches new judges the important things they need to know to succeed,
including problem solving and critical thinking skills needed to do their
jobs. |
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Administration of Justice Award
Winners have accomplished an outstanding achievement in the administration of justice by improving services to those who use the court system including jurors, witnesses, litigants, attorneys and defendants; improving court facilities; enhancing services to pro se litigants; facilitating access to the courts; improving accountability; or, supporting the strategic initiatives of Justice for a Better Arizona, or other demonstrated achievement in this area. Nomination may be for a specific project or effort, or for multiple projects or efforts during the individual's career in court administration.
The outstanding contributions to the court of Mr.
Marcus Reinkensmeyer, Court Administrator for General Jurisdiction Courts
and Director of the Law Library for the Superior Court in Maricopa County,
have enhanced the court’s ability to improve the administration of
justice. |
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Chief Justice's Outstanding Contribution to the Courts Award Winners have made an outstanding contribution to the courts by improving public trust and confidence in the courts; improving judicial administration; supporting the strategic initiatives of Justice for a Better Arizona, or other demonstrated achievements in these areas. Nomination may be for a specific project or effort, or for multiple projects or efforts.
Mr. Jones Osborn
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Through many years of devoted service to the judiciary
and to other public institutions, Dr. William Mangold and Mr. Jones
Osborn, have accomplished much toward the goal of Improving Public Trust
and Confidence in the Courts.