continued on page 16 judiciary times fall 2003 · trainers, drug court practitio-ners from florida...

Judiciary Times Fall 2003

The newsletter of the New Jersey Judiciary

Inside...

Continued on page 17

Backlog continues to drop p. 2Webster new asst. direc. p. 3Court guide now in Spanish p. 5Web gets global honor p. 9Olympics motivates youth p. 10Drug court changes lives p. 13


Accurate, Faster Service Thanks to New E-Writ SystemPatience Doe and her twin five-year-olds desperately neededmoney for rent and food. A courthearing was scheduled to collectchild support payments fromRobin, her “ex.” But there wasone problem: Robin was in prisonon drug charges.

Patience’s attorney warnedher it could take additional days,even weeks, to get a writ torelease Robin from prison andhave him transported to thehearing.

There were so many “ifs”:What if someone didn’t give

the judge the paperwork?What if the paperwork was lost

in a huge pile of documents?What if the clerk typed in the

wrong name or ID number?What if Robin had another

appointment at the drug rehabcenter the same day as the hear-ing?

What if the wrong inmateshowed up?

How would the Doe familymanage if the hearing couldn’t bescheduled for weeks or months?

Situations like this fictitiousscenario are less likely to occur

thanks to E-Writ, a computer-based partnership between theNew Jersey Judiciary and theDepartment of Corrections(DOC).

The new system has “nodownside,” according to MaryAnn Byrne, assistant manager ofautomated trial court systems inthe Administrative Office of theCourts (AOC).

Jointly developed and imple-mented by the Judiciary and DOC,the E-Writ system is revolutioniz-ing customer service and helping

Camden Vicinage Puts Customers and Staff FirstDuring Legionnaire’s Disease Scare This SummerQuick action by a judge andJudiciary staff resulted in thetimely closing of the Judiciaryoffices that house 250 employeesat Parkade Building in Camden thissummer after a prosecutor’s officeemployee came down withLegionnaire’s Disease (LD).

At press time, no court em-ployees or customers were knownto have contracted the disease, andno additional cases associated withthe building had been reported.

Shortly before midnight,Thursday, July 31, AssignmentJudge Francis J. Orlando, Jr.ordered the Judiciary offices at theParkade Building closed followinga rapid-fire series of telephoneconversations between Judiciaryand county officials that began at8:30 p.m. when Mike O’Brien,

Camden Vicinage’s trial courtadministrator, got a call about thesuspected case of LD. Thevicinage’s co-op (continuity ofoperations) plan—part of theJudiciary’s statewide emergencypreparedness program—was put intoeffect.

O’Brien contacted Steve Yang,the Judiciary’s health and safetyofficer, to confirm that Judiciary

Workers on scaffolding at theHughes Justice Complex inTrenton created a dramaticsilhouette this summer. (Photo byL. Holt)

Judiciary Times is prepared byCommunication Services, Office ofCommunications, the Administra-tive Office of the Courts (AOC) foremployees of the Judiciary andvolunteers who work with thecourt system. The Chief Justice of the NewJersey Supreme Court is DeborahT. Poritz. The AdministrativeDirector of the Courts is Richard J.Williams. Please e-mail short news articlessaved as Word documents, photosand/or suggestions to:[email protected] send disk, photos and papercopy to: Editor, Judiciary Times,Office of Communications, PO Box037, Richard J. Hughes JusticeComplex, Trenton NJ 08625-0037.Submissions are subject to editing,and not all can be published.

Judiciary Times2.

Director of Communications

Editorial Staff and Contributors

Winifred Comfort

Backlog Drops to Lowest Point since 1980

The New Jersey Judiciarycontinued its success of the pastseveral years in dramatically

reducing the number of casescharacterized as backlogged,according to a report released inAugust by Administrative Direc-tor of the Courts Judge Richard J.Williams.

The New Jersey JudiciaryCourt Management Report, June2003, shows the lowest backlogtotals since 1980, the first yearfor which comparable data areavailable.

The report also indicates that87 percent of all pending NewJersey court cases are nowwithin expected time goals forresolution assigned by the Judi-ciary.

This figure includes 94percent of all Family Divisioncases, 82 percent of civil cases,96 percent of special civil casesand 61 percent of criminal cases.

Cases that are not resolvedwithin expected time frames aretermed “backlogged.”

The number of backloggedcases dropped from 31,270 onJune 30, 2002, to 28,952 on June30, 2003.

Fair and Timely“We are pleased that our

ongoing efforts to improve thetimeliness of our calendars hasbeen successful,” said JudgeWilliams.

He added, “We know thatresolving disputes in a fair andtimely manner is important inearning the trust and confidenceof our citizens.”

The reduction in backlog wasled by the Family Division, whichachieved a 24 percent overallreduction in backlogged cases,including a 25 percent reductionin divorce cases, a 29 percent

reduction in domestic violencecases, a 24 percent reduction indelinquency cases, and a 45 percentreduction in backlog for non-dissolution cases.

The Civil Division, which begana best practices initiative in Septem-ber 2000, continued its significantbacklog reduction of past years witha 7 percent decline in backloggedcases this year.

The Special Civil Part of theCivil Division, which deals withcases seeking damages below$15,000, as well as landlord-tenantand small claims matters, sawchanges in the Rules of Courtwhich led to a 10 percent increasein filings.

As a result, that part of the CivilDivision was unable to cut itsbacklog any further during the year.

The Criminal Division continuedits reduction in backlog for indict-able cases by another 5 percent, forthe lowest backlog in 20 years.

Strong LeadershipJudge Williams attributed the

ongoing reduction of backloggedcourt cases to strong leadership andcommitment at the county level.

“Our judges, administrators, andstaff have made backlog reductiona priority,” he said. “They workhard every day to improve thetimeliness and effectiveness of thelitigation process in New Jersey.”

The full text of the report isavailable on the Judiciary’s Web siteat www.njcourtsonline.com.

The report includes terms anddefinitions, data on each county andstatewide numbers.

by Tamara KendigCommunications SpecialistAdministrative Office of the Courts

Editor Linda Brown Holt

Contributors Janet Bastien, Arlene

Bonville, Carmen Flores, AndreaFreedman, Lloyd Garner, FrankHoeber, Tamara Kendig, RobertLevine, Colin Lochner, MaryMcGinty, LaTia McNeely, NicholePurcell, Cari Rozzolo, Carol Venditto.Thanks to the other Judiciary staffwho contributed articles andphotographs.

3.Judiciary Times

Shelley R. Webster Brings Varied BackgroundTo New Role as Management Services Leaderby Linda Brown Holt

The career of Shelley R. Webster, the Judiciary’snew assistant director of management services, mightbe summed up in the title of the 1950s’ TV series, ILed Three Lives.

As successor to Christina P. Higgins, nowdirector of management and administrative services,Webster is responsible for the Judiciary’s financialand support services which include everything fromaccounting, purchasing, grants and budget, to facilitiesmanagement, health and safety, office services andthe print shop.

“Shelley Webster brings a tremendous mix ofenergy, experience and skill to this position, and herpersonal values align directly with those of theJudiciary,” said Higgins. “Therefore, I see this as avery good fit for her and for the Judiciary.

“During her three-year year tenure with themanagement services division in financial services,she worked hard to develop a solid team,” Higginscontinued. “I look forward to working with her andBrooks Durbin (assistant director of human re-sources) to develop a strong Office of Managementand Administrative Services team.”

Smith Named Ass’t DirectorMunicipal Court Services


John P. McCarthy Jr., director of trial courtservices, has announced the appointment of BobSmith as assistant director, municipal courtservices. He succeeds Dennis Bliss who retiredthis year.

Smith has been employed with municipalcourt services for nearly 20 years and served aschief, automated traffic system/automatedcomplaint system (ATS/ACS) support, since1999.

“He has been a key figure in the develop-ment of the highly successful ATS/ACS systemsfor municipal courts,” McCarthy said.

An interview with the new assistant directorwill be included in an upcoming edition of Judi-ciary Times.

Webster’s new position is the culmination of adozen years in state government, starting in 1991 atthe Department of Labor, continuing in a variety ofmanagement positions with the Office of Manage-ment and Budget (OMB), and leading to the Judiciarywhere she was hired as a chief in 2000.

That in itself would be an impressive enoughcareer for any professional. But there is more!

“I actually had two other professional lives beforeI came to work for the state,” said the energeticadministrator from her office in the Hughes JusticeComplex recently.

From 1987 to 1991, Webster owned and, with apartner, operated her own home-inspection businessin central New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. “Iwas certified as a residential building, pest control andasbestos inspector,” she reflected. “We did structural,systems and environmental testing and were quitesuccessful at it. But I really missed the team environ-ment.”

That team environment had characterized herfirst career: 17 years in management with a nationalrestaurant chain where she was responsible for

Assistant Director of Management Services ShelleyR. Webster goes over a report with her secretary, DianeCobbs. (Photo by L. Holt)

Judiciary Times4.

Three-Day Conference Trains StaffTo Help Drug Court Participants Succeedby Carol VendittoDrug Court ManagerAdministrative Office of the Courts

More than 350 staff attendedclasses offered as part of a three-day drug courttraining pro-gram held thissummer by theDrug CourtUnit of theAdministrativeOffice of theCourts (AOC)in partnershipwith theNational DrugCourt Institute(NDCI). Thefirst two daysof the trainingwere held inTrenton andthe last day inSomerville.

Funded bythe Bureau ofJustice Assis-tance (BJA),the programfeaturedpresentationsby professionaltrainers, drugcourt practitio-ners fromFlorida and Washington DC as wellas New Jersey drug court profes-sionals.

Drug court staff, Kathryn Dixonand Jeanne Kondash, did a phenom-enal job in putting together thisevent. Each day targeted a differentaudience:

Day One, titled “Drug CourtBasics,” provided basic informa-tion for those planning drug courtprograms as well as those alreadyinvolved in operations.

and Judiciary managers as well asprosecutors and public defendersin counties or vicinages planning toimplement drug courts next year.

Wanda Moore, drug courtcoordinator/ISP director for theOffice of the Public Defender,highlighted the benefits of drugcourts for the criminal justicesystem and described ways inwhich the program is a departurefrom the traditional court process.

Day Two, “Treatment Issuesin Drug Court,” was directedentirely toward clinically trainedstaff working in drug courts.

Attendees were practitionersfrom the myriad of treatmentprovider agencies utilized by NewJersey’s drug courts, substanceabuse (TASC) evaluators fromthroughout the state and otherclinicians working with drugcourts.

One of the speakers wasnationally renowned trainer, GuyWheeler. Wheeler works in one ofthe country’s first drug courtprograms in Broward County, Fla.,and has established himself as anauthority on effective treatmentinterventions in drug courts.

He has created numerouspresentations on “Working withAfrican-American Males in DrugCourt” for the National Associa-tion of Drug Court Professionals.

His workshop on this subject,on the third day of training, wasthe most highly rated presentationof this event.


Scenesfrom drugcourttraining.

John P. McCarthy Jr.,director of trial courtservices, discussed theJudiciary’s commitment tothe statewide implementa-tion of adult drug courts inNew Jersey.

Program topics included“Court as Theatre,” “TeamBuilding” and “Drug TestingBasics.” Attendees includedjudges, Treatment AssessmentServices for the Courts (TASC)evaluators, probation officers

Judiciary Times 5.

Guide to Courts Now Available in SpanishThe popular booklet, New JerseyCourts: A Guide to the JudicialProcess, is now available in aSpanish translation.

Titled, Los Tribunales deNueva Jersey: Una Guía alProceso Judicial, the booklet wastranslated by a team of profes-sional translators and interpretersworking under the auspices ofCourt Interpreting, Legal Translat-ing and Bilingual Services in the

Administrative Office of theCourts with input from the Officeof Minority Concerns.

The form for ordering Judi-ciary publications may be obtainedonline. On the InfoNet, select“Publications” on the drop-downmenu. On the next screen, select“Brochures,” then click on “Judi-ciary Guide to Brochures.” Theform may be completed online ande-mailed, mailed or faxed to the

Office of Communications in Trenton.The mailing address is:Office of CommunicationsPO Box 03725 Market St.Trenton NJ 08625-0037

The fax number is(609) 394-1082.Telephone:(609) 292-9580.

What is Spanish?What is Spanish?

The answer is not a simpleone. Languages develop re-gional variations as they leavetheir place of origin and movethroughout the world.

There are differences inaspects of Spanish spoken inUruguay, Cuba and Mexico, forexample, when compared toSpain or even to each other. Thesame may be said of varieties ofEnglish spoken in England, theUnited States and Australia. Toadd further diversity, there maybe many dialects within eachcountry.

There is even a differencedepending on whether thelanguage is spoken or written.Spoken language may be casual,while written text may offer amore formal expression.

The richness of languagesposes unique opportunities forwriters and editors hoping tocommunicate with the maximumnumber of people who speak agiven language.

Educators and other lan-guage professionals havedeveloped standard forms ofSpanish, English and otherlanguages. These standard

forms enable students studying alanguage in classrooms in Mos-cow, Los Angeles or Pretoria tolearn the same basic grammar andvocabulary.

Meanwhile, communicatorsaround the world are becomingmore aware of the various ways alanguage evolves and expresses apeople’s culture and identity. Forexample, a New York Post article(June 30, 2003) described how aSpanish TV news station decidedon what form of Spanish would bebest for its broadcast.

Another example is cited in aNew York Times article (April 8,2003) that emphasized the impor-tance of clear communication inmedical facilities when differentversions of Spanish are spoken bythe patient and the doctor orinterpreter. In some cases, thesame word could mean twocompletely different conditions(intoxicado could mean nauseatedor intoxicated, for example).

The courts, too, have theirown specific terminology. This iswhy the courts rely on professionalinterpreters familiar with legalterms as well as the varieties ofthe language being spoken.

When a booklet such asNew Jersey Courts: A Guideto the Judicial Process istranslated into Spanish, readersare correct to point out that itmay not be translated into aform of Spanish that all courtcustomers will recognize as“their own.”

Another challenge tocomprehensibility of translateddocuments, as with all docu-ments, is the fact that peoplewho read Spanish, just as withEnglish, come to the documentwith different degrees of formaleducation and familiarity withthe terminology used in specificprofessional contexts, such asthe courts.

However, a team of profes-sional court interpreters andtranslators from differentbackgrounds worked together toproduce a text that accuratelytranslates the English originalinto Spanish that is not unique toany particular country andshould be comprehensible to allSpanish speakers.

The result is a complete,accurate translation that willlead our Spanish-speaking publicto a clearer understanding ofNew Jersey’s courts.

Judiciary Times 7.

Tech-KNOWLEDGE-yTake Two Antivirus ProgramsAnd Call Me in the Morningby Janet Bastien, Project Manager, Information Technology

With the change of seasons, germs just seem tospread like gossip at the office party. Your kids bringa cold home that goes through everyone in the familyand just when you recover, another strain comesthrough and back under the covers you go.

Your computer is subject to infections, too. Justlike all the varieties of human germs, many super-human varieties stalk our computers, targeting thosewith low resistance.

To learn about the different types of electronicinfections just waiting to contaminate your machine,visit www.howstuffworks.com/virus. This interestingsite lists the four most common types as:

• Virus - a small piece of software that piggy-backs on real programs. For example, it couldattach itself to a spreadsheet program. Each timethe spreadsheet runs, so does the virus, oftenreproducing each time

• E-mail virus – a virus that travels in e-mailmessages, and usually replicates itself by auto-matically mailing itself to people in the victim’s e-mail address book.

• Worm – a small piece of software that usescomputer networks and security holes toreplicate itself. A copy of the worm scans thenetwork for another machine that has a specificsecurity hole, copies itself to the new machineusing the security hole and replicates from there.

• Trojan horses - computer programs that claimto do one thing (maybe claim to be a game) butinstead do damage when you run them (likeerase your hard disk).

Just as your child pretends to have a cold to stayhome from school, some pranksters pretend to sendyou a virus which is really a “hoax.” Hoaxes usuallyarrive in the form of an e-mail.

report it to your IT staff. Since all Judiciary servers areconnected, a virus exposure in one vicinage could infectthe entire Judiciary.

Check Symantec’s Web site atwww.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax for a completelist of hoaxes. Mark this site in your favorites toconsult as needed. If you’ve been sent a hoax,delete the e-mail. If this happens on your PC at work,

We are protected by Norton Antivirus (NAV), asoftware program, on our gateways that constantlychecks incoming mail, “scrubbing” detected virusesbefore they infect. Each individual desktop also hasNorton running and is linked to the NAV gateway.Norton is updated daily, fortified with new “virussignatures.” Also, Web sites that are known to havevirus downloads are “blacklisted,” which preventsaccess to them by anyone on the Judiciary network.

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitorstraffic in and out of our network, detecting “denial ofservice attacks” which clog our network, impedingaccess to us. The IDS gives the sender a taste oftheir own medicine by resetting the traffic back theirway. From the “ounce of prevention is worth a poundof cure” department, you can take similar precautionsto bolster your home PC’s resistance to bugs:

• Inoculate your PC with antivirus software andbe sure it pre-scans your e-mail for viruses.Install the updates offered by the softwarecompany regularly.

• Don’t open e-mail from unknown senders.Don’t open attachments unless you are surewhat is being sent, even if it’s from someoneyou know.

• Turn off your preview pane in Outlook. Trojanscan launch if the mail is opened in the previewpane. (From the menu bar select “View” andthen “Preview Pane.”)

• Delete chain and junk mail.• Be cautious when downloading files from the

Internet. Ensure that the source is legitimateand reliable.

• Back up your files regularly.ITO’s George Smith told me the only sure way to

protect yourself from viruses is to “sever your connec-tions with the outside world.” Since this isn’t a practi-cal remedy for your PC or your children, caution andcommon sense, just like extra Vitamin C, go a long wayin reducing infection.

Judiciary Times8.

Hudson Vicinage’s CASA ProgramMakes a Difference for Childrenby LaTia McNeely, MSWExecutive DirectorHudson County CASA

The Hudson Vicinage’s Court Appointed SpecialAdvocate (CASA) program trains and supervisescommunity volunteers who speak in court on behalfof abusedand ne-glectedchildren afterthey havebeen re-moved fromtheir homes.

Thesevolunteersreceiveextensivetraining incourt process

The tasks performed by CASA volunteersinclude: gathering information, researching familyhistory, investigating circumstances, interviewingrelevant parties, reviewing files, documenting findings,preparing reports and making recommendations to thecourt.

The CASA organization is an internationalprogram more than a dozen years old,with programs in Guam and Brazil.Hudson’s CASA has been in opera-tion just under two years and isamong the newest in the state.

CASA programs have made atremendous impact on the childwelfare system throughout the state.Considered a Judiciary “best prac-tice” and fully supported by theFamily Division in the HudsonVicinage, CASA works diligently tomeet the needs of children in out-of-

Hudson Vicinage volun-teers undergo intensivetraining as they prepare toassist with the CourtAppointed Special Advo-cate (CASA) program.(Photos by C. Rizzolo)

and proce-dures, childadvocacy,juvenile justice,social servicessystems and thespecial needs ofabused andneglectedchildren. Oncetrained, volun-teers are ap-pointed by family court judges and assigned torepresent one child (or one family of children) byhelping these children receive the necessary servicesto help move them toward safe and permanenthomes.

According to the national CASA Web sitewww.nationalcasa.org, one half million children in theUnited States are in foster care because they cannotsafely live with their families. Nearly 70,000 NationalCASA volunteers serve approximately 280,000 of

home placement.Hudson’s CASA volunteers appreciate the

courts’ continued support during the planning andinception of this program.

Hudson’s CASA program trains volunteers twicea year. The next training class is scheduled forOctober 2003. Judiciary staff may need to seek anopinion from the Code of Conduct Committee beforevolunteering. Some staff, based on prior opinions, areprohibited from participating. For further informationabout Hudson CASA, call (201) 795-6812 or [email protected]

those abused or neglected children every year.Hudson’s CASA program has trained 22 volun-

teers and 90 percent are actively advocating forchildren while 10 percent are involved innonadvocacy roles.

Judiciary Times 9.

New Jersey Judiciary Marks 25 YearsOf Volunteer Child Placement ReviewThe Child Placement Review Act is 25 years old thisyear, a testimony to the dedication and service ofcitizen-volunteers who serve on Child PlacementReview Boards (CPRBs) throughout the state.

Signed into law in 1978, the act requires third-party review of cases involving out-of-home place-ments of children throughout the state, predating thefederal requirement for such review by two years.

The act created the statewide Child PlacementAdvisory Council, a volunteer panel operating withstaff and administrative support under the auspices ofthe Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Thecouncil includes representatives from Child Place-ment Review Boards (CPRBs) in every county.

“We are fortunate to have so many give so muchof their time for our most unfortunate children,” notedJohn P. McCarthy Jr., director of trial court services.“We are inspired by their dedication and celebrate thesilver anniversary of child placement review in NewJersey.”

“Volunteers have given thousands of hours oftheir time reviewing cases for Family Court andinterviewing caseworkers, children and both thebiological and foster families,” said Andrea Freedman,a member of the advisory council’s executive board.

At present, some 450 volunteers serve on 73boards throughout the state (one board for every 200

reviews). Appointed by the assignment judge for thevicinage in which they serve, the boards consist of fivemembers with two alternates.

New Jersey was the first state to have CPRBscomposed entirely of volunteers, according to DonnaAster, the Judiciary’s children-in-court programcoordinator. Twenty-six other states now have childplacement review boards entirely served by volunteers.

In New Jersey, board members follow guidelinesspecified in the Child Placement Review Manual, adocument currently being revised, and take part intraining activities. According to Kimberly Jenkins,AOC staff to the advisory council, there are fourquarterly trainings each year as well as an annualconference.

This year the annual training conference on Oct.21 will coincide with the 25th anniversary. According toAndrea Freedman, the conference will include ad-dresses by Superior Court Judge Ellen L. Koblitz, chairof the Conference of Family Presiding Judges, andU.S. District Court Judge Katherine S. Hayden.Delegates from other states have been invited toattend and share their own perspectives on the childplacement review process.

Further information about child placement reviewmay be found on the Judiciary’s InfoNet at http://home.aoc.judiciary.state.nj.us/cpr/index.htm.

N.J. Judiciary Web Site Receives World Class Ranking


A recent study rankedthe New Jersey JudiciaryWeb site(www.njcourtsonline.com)as one of the 10 bestcourt-related Web sites inthe world.

For its annual ranking, the firm Justice Servedexamined more than 900 Web sites worldwide. TheNew Jersey Judiciary Web site ranked first among allstate judiciary Web sites and fourth internationally.

All of the Web sites were evaluated using severalcriteria, including design, ease of navigation and theability of the public to conduct court business online,including filling out forms and making payments.

Of the New Jersey site, which was rankedfourth on the list, the firm stated, “New Jersey has itall, including e-filing, statewide traffic index andonline payment, statewide civil calendar index, onlineopinions and a mass tort information center.”

Judge Richard J. Williams, administrative directorof the courts, expressed pride in the Judiciary’s Website.

“Our staff has worked hard to develop ourextensive Web site into a world-class resource forthose seeking information from or doing businesswith our courts,” he said. “We are delighted to berecognized on an international level.”

According to Assistant Director of Communica-

Judiciary Times10.

Youth from 15 Counties Compete and Grow...By Mary McGintyAdministrative Specialist IVJuvenile Probation Services

The 16th Annual Judiciary Olym-pics, sponsored by the PositiveInterventions Committee ofJuvenile Probation Services, washeld on Aug. 13, 2003, in WariancoPark, Union County.

One hundred and eighty-sixjuvenile probationers from 15counties and the Juvenile IntensiveSupervision Program competed forthe gold in a range of sportingevents, then enjoyed a picnic lunchserved by the Union Vicinageprobation staff.

Judge Roberto Alcazar of thefamily division was on hand toaward the medals and trophies.The seemingly effortless flow ofactivities throughout the day was atestament to the hard work of thecommittee, and particularly theUnion Vicinage probation staffwho formed their own ad hocOlympics committee to take on therole of host. Even the weathercooperated to ensure success.

The participants, divided intocounty teams and by over/underage 16, competed in a 100-meterdash, a relay race, football throw,home run derby, long jump,obstacle course, softball throw,jump rope competition and, finally,a tug of war. Gold, silver andbronze medals were awarded ineach event, then overall countywinners were identified for first,second and third place trophies.Congratulations to Bergen County(first place), Ocean County(second place) and Essex County(third place).

Probation Officer MegFarmer led the Union Vicinage

Probation staff in tackling the detailsof the day. Meg and her staff intro-duced two new ideas at this year’sgames that will probably becomeregular features in the future: anopening ceremony with the national

Judge Alcazar peppered hisspeech with references toMichael Jordan’s discipline inpursuing his goals, and how thatkind of commitment could makeanyone a winner in any arena,


anthem, and volleyball games.This year, volleyball was used

during downtime between games, butthere was talk about designating it asa regular medal-winning event nextyear. In fact, some of the probation-ers asked to see a game between theprobation officers!

including school. The judgeencouraged the participants toview themselves as winnerswhenever they set and reachtheir goals.

Mary DeLeo, assistantdirector for probation services,

Judge RobertoAlcazar andCPO Fred Bostel(above) announcewinners during theJudiciary Olym-pics for juvenileson probation.(Photos by L.Holt)

Judiciary Times 11.

...in Action-Packed Judiciary Olympics Aug. 13

attended the Olympics for thefirst time and praised both thecommittee and the Union Vici-nage probation staff for the hardwork that went into making theday so successful. Gayle Maher,chief of probation services, andPhilip Hill, director of the JuvenileIntensive Supervision Program,were on hand to cheer for theprobationers and to thank theprobation officers for making

Positive Interventions Committeeplans recreational and educationaloutings to aid in their rehabilitation.Probation officers view the eventssponsored by the committee as animportant aid during their probationterm.

As Union’s Chief ProbationOfficer Fred Bostel, who is alsochair of the Positive InterventionsCommittee, told participants, thiswas a day for them. He and thecommittee members hoped that atthe end of the day everyone leftfeeling this was true.

Team Practices QuestionnaireComing Soon to a PC Near YouAs part of its emphasis on continu-ous improvement, the Judiciary isseeking to identify its level ofsuccess with teams and teamprocesses. To meet this need, the Manage-ment Committee of the Administra-tive Council has developed a shortteam practices questionnaire thatwas first given to managers andteam leaders at least year’sJudicial Staff College. The intentof the survey was to solicit indi-vidual comments and attitudesabout both their own team, as wellas teams across the Judiciary. In October, judges and staffalike will get a chance to completea slightly revised version of thisanonymous, two-part survey.

· Examine the effectivenessof team processes (e.g. commu-nication and decision making) asa means to improve the comple-tion of work;

· Identify best practices inteam organization and develop-ment that may be transferred orapplied to teams across alldivisions;

· Link the study findings torefinement of existing training atall levels of the organization.

“The more people who

such a meaningful contribution torehabilitating juvenile offenders.

Probation officers selectparticipants for the program toprovide them with an opportunityto enjoy a leisure experience withadults who will support them inlearning new social skills. Partici-pants also are selected based ontheir compliance with the terms oftheir probation.

Many juvenile probationers donot have an opportunity to playsports at their schools or to taketrips with their families, so the

Continued from page 11

“Knowing how team membersthemselves feel about their teamsis important to identifying whereand how we can improve ourservice to court users,” said JudeDelPreore, trial court administratorfor the Mercer Vicinage andcochair of the committee.

The goals set for the scope ofthis project include the following:

· Report on team successesthroughout the Judiciary in aneffort to expand team develop-ment;

complete the survey, the betteridea we will have of just how wellteams function in the Judiciary,”according to DelPreore. For thatreason, the committee is asking allrecipients to take a few minutesfrom their busy schedules toparticipate in the study. Theresults of this study may impactteam operations throughout theorganization. The revised survey has been

automated to simplify answering itand compiling the results. Staffwill receive instructions in two tothree weeks on how to access thesurvey, which will be online for atwo-week period.

Judiciary Times12.

Union Vicinage Seminars Focused onPowers and Impartiality of Arbitratorsby Lloyd Garner, Esq.Union Vicinage Assistant CivilDivision Manager/Special CivilPart

(Editor’s note: An article in theSummer 2003 edition of Judi-ciary Times described theUnion Vicinage’s seminars formediators and arbitrators heldMay 30. This article follows upwith information presented atthe seminars on the comple-mentary dispute resolutionprocess and the role of arbitra-tors.)

Complementary dispute resolution(CDR) events such as non-binding arbitration have expandedsignificantly since Oct. 4, 1983,when a state statute mandatedthat all auto negligence casesvalued at $15,000 or less besubmitted to non-binding arbitra-tion.

Non-binding arbitration hasbeen expanded by Court Rule toinclude many case types pendingin the law division, such as allauto negligence and personalinjury cases, regardless of theamount in controversy, personalinjury protection (PIP) cases andso forth.

In addition, even the mostcomplex cases can be subject tonon-binding arbitration pursuantto the managing judge’s discre-tion. Under Court Rules, arbitra-tion hearings have the samedignity as trials, and the arbitra-tors have subpoena power andmay compel witness attendanceand document production.

The Rules also allow arbitra-tors to determine the law andfacts, administer oaths and

affirmations, and in generalexercise the powers of the courtin the conduct and managementof the arbitration hearing.

Arbitrators typically knowand are experienced in the areasof law that pertain to the particu-lar cases they have been as-signed. They offer invaluableinsight to the litigants and theircounsel based upon their knowl-edge and experience.

The members of the AdvisoryCommittee on Contract/Commer-cial Arbitration and Mediation, inconjunction with assistance fromSandra Thaler-Gerber, Union’scivil division manager; Union’sCDR administrator, DorisTarquinio; and the arbitration stafftake an active role in assuring thatcases scheduled for arbitration areassigned to the most qualifiedarbitrators in Union County.

This team reviews the area ofthe law that forms the basis ofeach lawsuit and scrutinizes therecommended arbitrator’s particu-lar experience and expertise.

Under Assignment JudgeEdward W. Beglin’s direction, theMay 30 seminar encouragedarbitrators to provide objective andreasonable decision-making and to

offer impartial insights to theparties that participate in thisprocess.

When arbitrators maintainbalance and objectivity, not favor-ing either the defendant or theplaintiff, they help create a suc-cessful arbitration and mediationprogram.

These goals are part of theUnion Vicinage’s continuingmission to promote and increasethe efficiency and value of CDRevents. CDR truly has become anintegral part of our vicinage andthe Judiciary.

Linda GreenhouseOf New York Times ToAddress Judicial CollegeLinda Greenhouse, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who reports on theU.S. Supreme Court for The NewYork Times, will be the keynoteplenary speaker at this year’s JudicialCollege. The college will be held Nov.24 through 26.

In addition to addresses by ChiefJustice Deborah T. Poritz and JudgeRichard J. Williams, administrativedirector of the courts, the college willfeature 30 workshops for judges ontopics such as medical malpractice,juvenile law update, recent develop-ments in product liability, internationalparental abduction, drugs and the brain,and cultural diversity.

The text of the workshops isprovided on CD-ROM to judges inadvance, with updates and audio tapesof sessions available after the college,according to Richard L. Saks, assistantdirector of Judicial Education andDevelopment, and Richard Young,chief, Judicial Education/Performance.

Judiciary Times 13.

Union Drug Court Honors “Graduates”Who Have Gone on to Help Others Succeedby Colin LochnerDrug Court CoordinatorUnion Vicinage

Superior Court Judge James C.Heimlich of the Criminal Divisionrecently presented special achieve-ment awards to five drug courtparticipants for their extraordinaryvocational success and significantcontributions to the Union CountyDrug CourtProgram.

Approxi-mately twoyears ago,Randy Lawson,Marty Abbot,LazaroTabachnick,James Myersand PrestonJones were eachreferred by theirdrug courtprobationofficers to theFirst Occupa-tional Center of

Not only did Randy, Marty,Lazaro, James and Prestoncomplete the building tradesprogram, they were each offeredpositions by the school asbuilding trades instructors. Sincethat time, they have providedinstruction and mentoring tomore than 100 other studentsreferred to the program by theUnion County Drug Court and

students who, like themselves, arerecovering from substance abuseand they help students to get thecounseling they need if they returnto using drugs.

Lew Garley, the director of thebuilding trades program, said thatthe program helps create a safeenvironment for students to experi-ment with new, more healthy,responsible and satisfying behav-

iors.Randy

explains thathe is living towork ratherthan workingto live sincebecoming ateacher. Oneof hisstudentsrecentlyreported tohim that shehad beenoffered apositionmaking

New Jersey inElizabeth.

The probationofficers hoped theirprobationers wouldacquire some basicbuilding trades skillsenabling them to find entry-level jobs in the constructionindustry.

No one on the UnionCounty Drug Court Teamever expected what wouldcome next.

$40,000 afteryears of drugaddiction anddependencyon welfare.

Lazaro

Drug Court Success Story--Shown left to right are: Robert Smith,drug court participant; Lazaro Tabachnick; drug court participant; LewGarley. director of the Community Institute for Career Advancement;Colin Lochner, Union County drug court coordinator; and RandyLawson, drug court participant.

other law enforcement and socialservices agencies.

In addition to teaching carpen-try, plumbing and electrical skills,the five men serve as positive rolemodels for their students.

They run a self-help groupevery Wednesday morning for

attributes much of his success todrug court because he neverwould have gone to school on hisown. Randy, Marty, Lazaro,James and Preston are proof thatdrug court can change lives.

Judiciary Times14.

Essex Courts Host Local Librarians In Day-long Community Outreachby Nichole PurcellCommunity Relations LiaisonEssex Vicinage Information andCommunity Relations Center

The Essex Vicinage hosted acommunity outreach program July7 for Essex County librarians.Libraries are a key resource forinformation about our courts andjustice system.

Held in the New CourtsBuilding in Newark, the EssexVicinage Court and CommunityExchange Program focused on therole of the courts and identifiedareas in which the court and locallibraries can collaborate to provideservices to the public. This dia-logue provided librarians from theNewark, Belleville, Nutley,Bloomfield, Montclair, WestOrange and South Orange publiclibraries with a better understand-ing of the judicial system and thecourts’ role in the community.

In welcoming remarks,Assignment Judge Joseph A.Falcone stressed the importance ofthe courts reaching out to commu-nity organizations as part of anongoing effort to provide qualityservice to the residents of EssexCounty. He emphasized that thiswas the first of this kind of out-reach program that the courtwould sponsor in order to effec-tively address community needs.He invited library representativesto contact the vicinage’s Informa-tion Center to arrange a tour of thecourt for their summer or school-year programs.

Vicinage staff distributedcopies of the booklet, A Guide tothe Superior Court of NewJersey – Essex Vicinage, whichwas developed by the VicinageCustomer Service Committee as aresource for members of the

public about the court. In remarksto the librarians, ShazeedaSamsudeen, ombudsman for theEssex Vicinage, noted that com-mittee representatives from eachdivision were responsible for theirdivision’s content. All of thevicinage’s more than 1,000 em-ployees have a copy of the guideto ensure the accuracy of informa-tion given to the public about thecourt.

Members of the CustomerService Committee discussed theirdivision’s section of the guidebook.They included: BrendaCarmichael, supervisor of the civilcustomer service unit; DarrylVartabedian, manager of criminalrecords; Vernest Moore, supervi-sor of the Family Information &Community Relations Center;Patricia Wooten, assistant man-ager of the jury managementdivision; and Amy Chack, munici-pal division liaison.

Following the presentations,Nichole Purcell, communityrelations liaison in the Information& Community Relations Center,conducted a tour of the courtcomplex for library representa-tives. Participants viewed aproceeding in Judge Falcone’scourtroom and visited the lawlibrary where Debra Womack, lawlibrarian, described the library’sholdings and the types of questionsasked daily by library users. Thetour concluded with visits to thebusy customer service areas of thecriminal and civil divisions and afinal stop in the Information &Community Relations Center.

After lunch, ThomasO’Malley, supervising librarian ofthe New Jersey State Library LawSection, presented information onlegal resources (federal and state

statutes, periodicals, Web sites,etc.) that should be available in allpublic library collections. He notedthat the Essex Vicinage guide wasan excellent addition to the re-source list and that the librariesshould make it available to theirstaff and the public.

The day ended with a wrap-updiscussion with Collins Ijoma, trialcourt administrator, who thankedthe library representatives fortaking the time out of their sched-ules to spend a day at the court.He emphasized that this programwas the first in what he and JudgeFalcone hope will be an ongoingdialogue with local libraries andother community organizations toprovide quality service to theresidents of Essex County andinstill public trust and confidence inthe court.

The response from the librar-ians was overwhelmingly positive.Evaluations completed by thelibrarians said they found theprogram to be “very useful” andinformative. When asked, “Whatinformation did you find mosthelpful?” one librarian said,“Everything. I got the answer tomany of the questions we dealwith everyday at the library. Myfirst time exposed to the court-house. Impressive.” A statelibrarian found the panel discussionof each court division by theCustomer Service Committee tobe very helpful. A librarian andwriter noted, “ I found severalpublications that I wanted to add tothe Newark Public Library collec-tion.” Several of the representa-tives offered suggestions for otherorganizations the court shouldinclude in its outreach programsincluding municipal and schoolemployees.

Judiciary Times 15.

upwards of 900 employees.Webster learned the work

ethic that has driven her through-out her three careers at a veryearly age. “I was one of ninechildren in a poor but lovinghousehold,” she recalled. “Myfather was a truck driver and mymother, who’s still extremelyactive at 79, was a homemaker. Ihad an older sister who wasphysically disabled from birth—paralyzed from the waist downfrom spina bifida—so I’ve alwaysbeen concerned for people withdisabilities.”

Sensitivity to the needs ofpeople with disabilities runs deep inWebster’s family. She also has aniece with learning disabilities whois paralyzed from the chest down.

“Society’s treatment of peoplewith disabilities is much differenttoday,” observed Webster. “Myniece is ‘mainstreamed,’ but mysister wasn’t even allowed to go toschool. There weren’t ramps andhandicapped access years ago. Iremember carrying my sister’swheelchair up steps. It really madean impression on me.”

Despite the challenges,growing up in a big family gaveWebster the tools to succeed in acompetitive workplace.

“All 11 of us lived in a housewith three bedrooms and onebathroom, but we learned tocooperate and care for eachother,” she said. “We did every-thing for ourselves, from canningvegetables and making bacon tofixing the electricity and theplumbing. We learned to hustle: wecollected and sold newspapers,bottles and scrap metal to earnextra money.”

Her first job while still ateenager was at McDonald’swhere she was promoted tomanager within a few months. Sheenjoyed the challenges of manage-ment and continued to excel in herwork while completing her educa-tion.

Webster was the only one inher family to go to college, whichshe paid for entirely on her own.Her education included abachelor’s degree from then-Trenton State College, an MBAfrom Rider University, and profes-sional certification as a CPA.

“My education meant a lot tome because I really had to workfor it,” Webster said. “When Ihear people say they never wentto college because of the cost, Itell them that they can do anythingthey put their minds to.”

All the skills and personalqualities Webster developed duringher professional life are called intoplay in her new role at the helm ofmanagement services. Among hermain tasks since assuming this rolein July are team-building, employeedevelopment and hiring key staff.Webster serves as staff to theAdministrative Council’s Budgetand Planning Committee and looksforward to working with supportservices, an area she was notpreviously responsible for at theJudiciary.

“It’s exciting to learn newthings,” she said with enthusiasm.“It broadens your perspective.”

While she is dedicated to herwork and puts in long hours,Webster finds time to enjoy morerelaxing pursuits on her own time.That means skiing vacations,playing various sports and takingher German shepherd, Lee, for

walks in northern BurlingtonCounty. She and her familymembers still make time to meetmonthly over dinner.

But whatever she does,Webster puts people at the center.After years of number-crunchingat OMB, she was pleased to jointhe Judiciary where service tocourt customers is a priority.

“The business of the courts isdispute resolution,” she said. “Theculture here is that people areimportant and what they do is ofvalue. I like that,” she added witha smile.


Shelley Webster, New Management Services Leader

Staff CollegeTo Focus onPartnerships

“Developing Effective Part-nerships” is the theme of thisyear’s John Neufeld JudicialStaff College to be held Nov.24 and 25.

Conference participantswill include some 750 Judiciarysenior managers, selectedsupervisors and team leaders.The Staff College will be heldat two locations— theParsippany Hilton and TheMansion in Voorhees—toaccommodate the largestnumber of staff.

The program will includekeynote addresses, 16 work-shops and networking opportu-nities. Workshops added thisyear include: “Using Your PCas a Management Tool,”“Partnering Through Dia-logue,” “Adventures in Man-aging Conflict” and “Partner-ships Within the Judiciary.”

Judiciary Times16.


staff do their jobs better and more quickly.“E-Writ has brought the process of writ prepara-

tion into the 21st century,” said Stan Repko, a consult-ant and former director of policy and planning with 32years experience in New Jersey DOC administration.“The impact it is making on the writ process isunbelievable.”

Computer-to-ComputerRenowned for its innovative use of technologies

in the courts, New Jersey is one of the first states inthe nation to have an automated E-Writ system that isnetworked between the mainframe computer systemsof the judicial branch of government and the correc-tional agency. The system is online, but is not deliv-ered over the Internet.

“The fact that this is a closed system between theJudiciary and DOC increases its security,” observedRepko.

Writs are the documents used by the Judiciary tosummon inmates to court. According to DOC statis-tics, there are approximately 28,000 inmates in 15state correctional facilities. Writs are mostly used inthe criminal division, with some in family and only afew in civil.

“In the past, preparing writs was a time-consum-ing process,” said Byrne. “A staff person would needto look up information in a paper file and type it up.They had to know which institution an inmate was in,get all the names and numbers right, and then get thejudge’s signature. The final step was to send the writvia first-class mail.”

Fast and AccurateUnder the new system, most of the work is done

automatically.“The clerk selects the inmate’s name from a list

or types in the SBI number,” Byrne said. The StateBureau of Identification number—SBI—is issued bythe State Police based upon the inmate’s 10 finger-prints.

“Then the clerk presses a PF key and the entireform is filled out instantaneously and accurately. Itcan be done in the courtroom during a hearing. Nosignature is necessary, so there are no delays. Thesystem prints out a copy for the clerk and sends acopy to Corrections in minutes.”

E-Writ is a case of “computers talking to comput-ers,” according to Repko. The Judiciary mainframePromisGavel “talks” with the DOC’s Offender Based

Corrections Information System (OBCIS). Prior toE-Writ, Judiciary staff had to call DOC to get accessto this information.

Before the conversion to E-Writ, some 900 to1,000 writs went through the judicial and correctionalsystems in New Jersey each month. That numberincreased to approximately 1,500 in the first monthsince E-Writ was implemented statewide in earlySeptember 2003.

Improves SchedulingAnother advantage of E-Writ is the impact on

scheduling. “With the push of a button, you can seethe online calendar of inmates scheduled to appear incourt,” said Byrne.

“The earlier we know that an inmate is sched-uled, the better,” said Repko. “It expedites DOC’sscheduling process as well.”

Scheduling is not only a time-consuming processfor Corrections. It is also an expensive process fortaxpayers.

“Inmates aren’t simply transported individually tohearings,” Repko explained. “They may be bussed todifferent points throughout the state, where some aredropped off and others are picked up. Security istight and the transportation process is closely moni-tored. It costs about $300 to $500 to transport oneinmate to and from a hearing.”

E-Writ not only expedites scheduling, but it alsoalerts the Judiciary so that inmates’ medical tests andother important appointments can be accommodatedwhen possible.

Standard CodesAnother advantage of E-Writ that is important to

the Judiciary is standardization and uniformity ofcodes. Standardization is a key element in theJudiciary’s statewide unification.

“We are all speaking the same language,” saidByrne.

While Byrne and Repko were the key managersinvolved in the development and implementation of E-Writ, they acknowledge extraordinary contributionsfrom a number of staff. Byrne said that two infor-mation technology analysts on her staff—LisaHaimowitz and Richard Proctor—do an outstandingjob teaching clerks about the system.

Repko recognized the excellent work of Byrneand her staff. Both Repko and Byrne also acknowl-edged the many contributions of Nancy Soltis,


Accurate, Faster Service Thanks to E-Writ System

Judiciary Times 17.



Judiciary ITO; Bonnie Kennedy-Sinacore, criminaldivision manager, Monmouth Vicinage (the site of thepilot program); Catherine Halper, acting chief ofcorrectional information systems; Sandy Czenis,principal information manager-information systemstechnician; and Patti Gaskill, administrative analyst 2with DOC’s central transportation unit.

“E-Writ is wonderful,” beamed Repko. “We lookforward to the day when other court documents willalso be automated, including judgments of convictionsand presentence investigation reports.”

--Linda Brown Holt

employees should not be allowed to work in thebuilding until it was declared safe. Informationexchanges continued throughout the night betweenJudiciary and county staff.

bacterium occurred throughout the Parkade Building.Positive test resulted in remediation efforts over thecourse of the next six weeks.

The vicinage retained environmental and microbi-ology experts to assure that the building was decon-taminated and a preventive maintenance plan was inplace for staff to return on Sept. 15.

A 50-year-old structure scheduled for demolitionas part of the city’s master plan, the Parkade Buildinghouses some 1,200 workers, including nearly 250Superior Court employees, mostly involved withprobation supervision.

While the building was closed, employees set uptemporary offices in courtrooms and other courtfacilities.

Camden Vicinage Puts Customers and Staff First

Outside the Parkade Building, Judiciary staffprovide information to visitors.

On Friday, August 1, personnel assigned to theParkade Building were given the day off, while planswere developed for the temporary relocation to theHall of Justice building.

Yang conferred with county and state healthofficers, and testing for the presence of Legionnaire’s

A Bank of PCs turns a courtroom into office space.

“Staff was here until late Friday night setting upphone and computer lines,” said O’Brien.

Vicinage leadership and Steve Yang addressedthree assemblies of all staff relocated from theParkade Building.

They also met with union representatives no lessthan once each week during the relocations toaddress employee questions and concerns.

“The assignment judge made a bold decision toclose the Judiciary offices in the building,” saidO’Brien. “Staff were cooperative and positivethroughout the ordeal, tolerating the discomfort ofworking in makeshift office space.”

--Linda Brown Holt

Accurate, Faster ServiceThanks to E-Writ System

18. Judiciary Times

(Editor’s note: The following article is reproduced with the permission of the Jackson Advocate NewsService. The article appeared in the July 10-16 edition of the Jackson Advocate, Jackson, Miss., onpage 10A. The Jackson Advocate is Mississippi’s oldest African American newspaper, and the largestweekly newspaper in the state.)

The National Association ofWomen Judges (District III), theNew Jersey State Bar Foundation,and New Jersey City Universityrecently sponsored a uniqueseminar for young women attend-ing high school and college. Theseminar was organized by JerseyCity Municipal Court Judge SheilaVenable and New Jersey CityUniversity Professor PhoebeSlade.

As she slowly rose from herseat to approach the podium todeliver her powerful keynoteaddress at the seminar, all of thejudges and lawyers in attendanceimmediately jumped to their feetand gave an enthusiastic standingovation as a sign of deep respectand admiration for New JerseySuperior Court Judge ShirleyTolentino.

Judge Tolentino is one ofAmerica’s first African Americanfemale judges and former presi-dent of the National Association ofWomen Judges. Judge Tolentinonoted that she and Judge Weeksinitiated the “Color of Justice”Program to help increase thenumber of African Americanfemale lawyers and judges.

She said: “When I envisioned aseminar to help prepare youngwomen for careers in the field oflaw, this is what I dreamed about— a room full of lawyers andjudges sharing their experienceswith young women from diverseethnic and racial backgrounds.”

The lawyers and judges inattendance did not disappointJudge Tolentino. They told theaudience of over 100 high schooland college students how to getinto college, prepare for law schoolwhile in college, apply to lawschool, obtain money for law

school, secure internships with lawfirms and clerkships with judges,obtain employment as lawyers, and beappointed or elected as judges.

After the seminar, one of thestudents remarked: “This is a wonder-ful event. Not only do we get tointeract with judges and lawyers, wealso are gaining useful information onhow we can follow in their footsteps.”

Other seminar panelists were:Attorney Christina Bennett, Dr.Sandra Bloomberg, AttorneyEbonee Hamilton, Judge Karimu Hill-Harvey, Judge Michelle CapersHollar-Gregory, Judge Cynthia D.Jackson, Judge Alison Brown Jones,Attorney Verna G. Leath, JudgeMaureen Mantineo, Attorney WandaMolina, Judge Ana Moreira, AttorneyKenneth Padilla, Attorney Priya P.Ramrup, Attorney Nesle Rodriguez,Judge Lourdes Santiago, AttorneyBhavini Tara Shah, Attorney NarissaSkillman, and Attorney Anne T.Sulton.

Jackson Advocate News Service

Participants in the Color of Justice seminar heldrecently in New Jersey included: (left to right, back row)Narisa Skillman, attorney; Verna Leath, attorney; NesleRodriguez, attorney; Anne Sulton, attorney; ChristinaBennett, attorney; Priya P. Ramrup, judicial clerk; EboneeHamilton, judicial clerk; Judge Lourdes Santiago; BhaviniT. Shah, attorney; Judge Michelle Hollar-Gregory; JudgeMaureen Mantineo; Judge Ana Moriera; (front row) JudgeKarimu Hill-Harvey, Judge Shirley Tolentino, Dr. PhoebeSlade, Judge Sheila Venable, Wanda Molina, attorney.(Panelists not shown: Dr. Sandra Bloomberg, Judge AlisonBrown Jones and Kenneth Padilla, attorney.)

New Jersey’s Color of Justice Program Opens Doors to Opportunity

19.Judiciary Times

Judge Imai Visits from Japan—Judge Osamu Imai ofTokyo District Court reviews New Jersey Judiciarypublications with Tamara Kendig, communicationsspecialist in the Office of Communications, recently. JudgeImai is participating in the Japanese Judge VisitationProgram for the 2003-2004 court year. A native ofHokkaido, the judge graduated from the Faculty of Law ofWaseda University. Appointed a judge in October 2000, hehears civil trial cases as an associate judge in a panel inTokyo District Court. During his stay in New Jersey, he willstudy the state’s court system, spending a month with theAdministrative Office of the Courts and two to four weeksin several vicinages. He will attend the Judicial College andOrientation Seminar for New Municipal Court Judges, aswell as other activities. His work will include researchingtopics for the Supreme Court of Japan and observing courtpractices. In addition, his visit will include observation offederal court activities.

Monmouth Recognizes Volunteersby Carmen FloresEEO/AA OfficerMonmouth Vicinage

The Monmouth Vicinage recognized the valuablework of its court volunteers at a special program heldin June at the Sheraton Eatontown.

Monmouth Vicinage has more than 500 volun-teers who participate in programs that aid childrenand families in crisis, support and direct juvenileprobationers, monitor guardianships, mediate disputesand serve on Supreme Court and vicinage commit-tees.

The volunteer recognition program includedremarks by Assignment Judge Lawrence M.Lawson and a keynote address by SarahThoma, director of the Governor’s Office ofVolunteerism.

John Morton, award administrator, pre-sented The John A. McCormick Volunteer ofthe Year Award to Doris Sims. Sims hasvolunteered continually for 18 years as secre-tary of the Tinton Falls Juvenile ConferenceCommittee. The Probation Association of NewJersey, Local 113, sponsors the award to honorthe memory of John A. McCormick, a former

senior probation officer who worked withvolunteers.

Judge Eugene A. Iadanza, presiding judgeof Monmouth’s family division, presided overthe presentation of awards to 71 volunteers: 32volunteers received an award for five years ofservice, 33 received an award for 10 years ofservice, four received an award for 15 years ofservice and two received an award for 25years of service. Programs in which volunteersserve include the Juvenile Conference Commit-tee, the Child Placement Review Board, theMunicipal Court Mediators Program, MinorityConcerns, Supervised Visitation and the StudentIntern/Administration Programs.

During the program, Judge Lawson swore insome 50 new volunteers, who serve in various courtprograms throughout Monmouth County. The StellarStrings, Classical Chamber Trio, provided musicalselections. Acting Trial Court Administrator WilliamLynch presented the closing remarks.

tions Toni McLaughlin, who is the Judiciary’sWebmaster, many ideas for upgrading the site havecome from comments e-mailed to the Web team.One example is a search tool that allows users tosearch the civil motion calendar by judge. Convenientlinks to instructions for conducting research andinitiating court cases on-line also have been added toassist site visitors.

“We are always looking for ways to make ourWeb site accessible and helpful to the general user,as well as attorneys and others who regularly con-duct business with us,” she said.

Honors are nothing new for the New JerseyJudiciary’s Web site. The Eagleton Institute ofPolitics at Rutgers University ranked it first amongNew Jersey state government Web sites in 2002. Inaddition, the National Center for State Courts CourtTechnology Conference named it one of the Top 10Court Web Sites in 2001.

Web Site Receives AwardContinued from page 4

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