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Court Leader's Advantage

Court Leader's Advantage

Peter C. Kiefer

Coming innovations, thought-provoking trends, questions that matter to the court community, these and more themes are covered by the Court Leader’s Advantage podcast series, a forum by court professionals for court professionals to share experiences and lessons learned.
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Top 10 Court Leader's Advantage Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Court Leader's Advantage episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Court Leader's Advantage for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Court Leader's Advantage episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Budget Strategies: What Have We Learned from the Lockdown?

About three weeks ago, May 14, 2020, the financial crisis was looming, but the details were still vague. Since then several courts have been forced to begin budget cuts that have included layoffs and furloughs. Yet even now all we can say about the national situation is, it remains fluid. Dread over the upcoming economic statistics turned to excitement on Friday, June 5th as the unemployment numbers were better than expected. Still, unemployment remains well above the highest numbers seen during the 2008 recession. What do we know now after several weeks have gone by? Have courts adapted their plans to the changing economic situation?

This week panelists are asked a question by listener Jeff Barlow on the difference between the “thin the soup” and the “ration the soup” strategies for court budget reductions. The panel also talks about how to manage through layoffs and employee furloughs; charging for establishing time payment schedules; extending those schedules out to help defendants through the recession; coping with an expected increase in default judgments, landlord-tenant disputes, and home foreclosures; finally panelists predict what the next 12 months will hold for the courts.

This Week's Panelists:

Zenell Brown has garnered respect both as Executive Court Administrator for the Third Circuit Court in Detroit, Michigan, and for her ethical leadership and innovation. Zenell has a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School, a Public Service Administration Graduate Certificate from Central Michigan University, and a Court Administration Certificate from Michigan State University.

Richard J. "Rick" Pierce is the Judicial Programs Administrator of the Judicial District Operations and Programs Department, at the Pennsylvania Administrative Office of the Courts. Prior to his current position, he was the district court administrator for Cumberland County. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, and received his Masters in Public Administration from Shippensburg University.

Angela S. "Angie" VanSchoick is the Court Administrator with the Town of Breckenridge Municipal Court. She received her MSW from the University of Michigan in 2007. She also assist the Court and with the Colorado Association for Municipal Court Administration.

Elizabeth "Liz" Rambo is the Trial Court Administrator for Lane County Circuit Court in Eugene, Oregon. She graduated with high scholarship from Oregon State University with a BA in history and has an MBA from Portland State University.

Chris Gaddis has been the Court Administrator for the Superior Court of Washington for Pierce County for 4 years. Prior to working for the court, he served in law enforcement. He is a member of the Washington State Jury Diversity Task Force and the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission Public Trust and Confidence Committee.

Michael Roddy is the Executive Officer of the Superior Court of San Diego County. Prior to his current position he served as the California Administrative Office of the Courts’Regional Administrative Director for the Northern/Central Region, and was Executive Officer of the Sacramento Superior Court.

Mark A. Weinberg is the Court Administrator for the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Daytona Beach, Florida. Prior to his current position, he was an administrator with the court in Maricopa County, Arizona. He holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from James Madison University and a master's degree in judicial administration from the University of Denver.

Leave a comment at [email protected]

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Ready to Reopen: What You Should Be Thinking About Now

Almost all states have reopened, yet the future is still uncertain as COVID cases continue to climb and a vaccine appears unlikely before 2021. Courts are faced with an ever-growing array of challenges. Keeping employees, judicial staffs, litigants, and attorneys safe while reopening courthouses. Dealing with an ever-growing backlog of cases. Restarting court operations that ground to a halt months ago. Facing the possibility of enormous budget shortfalls. Solutions are scarce and the need for innovation has never been greater.

The panel discusses how courts will be dealing with employees who test positive for the virus after the office reopens; coordinating with justice partners such as the Clerk of Court; as well as handling jurors and defendants who refuse to enter the courthouse for fear of infection.

This Week's Guest Speakers

Angela S. "Angie" VanSchoick is the Court Administrator with the Town of Breckenridge Municipal Court. She is a licensed macro level social worker in the State of Colorado and Michigan, receiving her MSW from the University of Michigan in 2007. Her focus was on Policy, Evaluation, Community Organization, and Community Social Systems, which has provided her with a solid background to assist her Court and with the Colorado Association for Municipal Court Administration.

Mark A. Weinberg is the Court Administrator for the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Daytona Beach, Florida. Prior to his current position, he was an administrator with the court in Maricopa County, Arizona. He holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from James Madison University and a master's degree in judicial administration from the University of Denver.

Richard J. "Rick" Pierce is the Judicial Programs Administrator of the Judicial District Operations and Programs Department, at the Pennsylvania Administrative Office of the Courts. Prior to his current position, he was the district court administrator for Cumberland County. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, and received his Masters in Public Administration from Shippensburg University.

Elizabeth "Liz" Rambo is the Trial Court Administrator for Lane County Circuit Court in Eugene, Oregon. She graduated with high scholarship from Oregon State University with a BA in history and has an MBA from Portland State University.

Chris Gaddis has been the Court Administrator for the Superior Court of Washington for Pierce County for 4 years. Prior to working for the court, he served 20 years in law enforcement with the last four years as Chief of Police. Mr. Gaddis is the current President of the Association of Washington Superior Court Administrators. He is also a member of the Washington State Jury Diversity Task Force and the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission Public Trust and Confidence Committee.

Leave a question or comment about the episode at [email protected].

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Court Leader's Advantage - Dealing with the Generations: What Do Good Managers Understand?
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12/17/19 • 37 min

Managing the multigenerational workplace is more demanding today than ever before. Why is it now such a challenge? One reason: we are living and working longer. If you were born today, you could expect to live 79 years, that is 18 years longer than if you were born in 1935. Another reason: technology is changing our lives and the rate of that change is increasing. Once, just being a 30-year veteran of an organization made you a valued expert. Today, we are valued for our technical expertise in mastering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and social media. Does assigning traits to the different generations help or hurt when managing the workplace? What insights do we have for today’s managers dealing with up to four generations working side-by-side? Zenell Brown, Alisa Shannon, Rene Armenta, and Kelly Hutton discuss what it means to oversee a court with so many different age groups working together.

This is an absorbing podcast episode for listeners curious about generational differences, managing the generations, courts, and court administration.

Leave a comment or question about the episode at [email protected].

Guest Speakers

As a Court Administrator, Zenell Brown has garnered respect for her ethical leadership and innovation. She has built her approach on three pillars: communication, leadership responsibility and accountability, and diversity and inclusion. She has shared her “Justice for All” leadership and organizational wisdom at local, state, and national level conferences for court managers and teams. Zenell continues to add to her current credentials of Juris Doctor (Wayne State University Law School), Public Service Administration Graduate Certificate (Central Michigan University), Court Administration Certificate (Michigan State University), and Certified Diversity Professional (National Diversity Council-DiversityFirst).

Rene Armenta was born and raised in Tucson, AZ, He graduated from Rincon High School and started his career with the courts in early February of 2019 at the Pima County Juvenile Courthouse, assisting both clients and court staff, directing them to their appointment, and providing assistance on court date information. Recently transitioning to the downtown Superior Courthouse as a Case Management Specialist assisting on the Family Law Bench, he assists in the efficiency of caseflow by processing court documents, ensuring court dates and times are correctly scheduled, assisting in scheduling Pro Tems and so much more.

Alisa Shannon has served as a civil servant for the past twenty plus years. She is the Deputy Court Administrator of the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan - Criminal Division. In this role, Alisa oversees the management of the criminal case processing departments and works tirelessly to build strong relationships and help to administer criminal justice in a fair, professional, and efficient manner.

In addition to overseeing the operations of the Criminal Division, Alisa has led many court-wide leadership committees. As a trusted leader, she directed the state’s largest trial court through the Strategic Planning process. Much of her career success can be attributed to her ability to build relationships, create supportive environments, and advocate on behalf of others.

Alisa has earned a Master Certification in Business Leadership and Management, with a specific focus on Strategic Decision-making, Strategic Leadership, and Strategic Management from Michigan State University. She is a certified trainer in Restorative Practices and in the art of having Crucial Conversations. She served on several committees with the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies, and most recently represents the court on the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board of the Michigan Diversity and Inclusion Council.

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Our July Court Leader’s Advantage video podcast episode on courts and protest marches has garnered considerable interest. Over 300 viewers have accessed the episode. Among those who watched the episode was Norman Meyer, Retired Clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico, who wrote in two questions to ask about court employees, protest marches, our first amendment rights, and the NACM Model Code of Conduct. Norman joins the episode to ask his two questions.

About the Guest Speaker:

Norman Meyer retired after serving for 38 years as a court administrator in both the state and Federal systems. Most recently, he was Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico. He is a court administration expert after a 38 year career as a trial court administrator in the state and federal U.S. courts. He has written and spoken widely on judicial administration in the United States and abroad, and is currently writing a court management blog (https://courtleader.net/vantage-point) as a member of the nonprofit Court Leader coalition.

Elisa Chinn-Gary, is Clerk of Superior Court and Judge of Probate for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. She obtained her B.A. from Winston Salem State University (magna cum laude) 1996; J.D. UNC School of Law 1999; M.A. in Social Work UNC 2000. Elisa was an Attorney Advocate for North Carolina's Guardian Ad Litem program from 1999 to 2002; Juvenile Defender for the Council for Children’s Rights (formerly Children’s Law Center) from 2000 to 2001; Administrator of the Mecklenburg Family Court from 2001 to 2015; and Adjunct Professor for the Charlotte School of Law from 2010 to 2015.

Sarah Brown-Clark is a 1971 cum laude graduate of Ohio University with a B.S. degree in English; she also earned her M.A. degree in English from Ohio University in 1972 and earned hours towards a Ph.D. in English from Kent State University. Currently Ms. Brown-Clark is the Clerk of the Youngstown Municipal Court, a position to which she was elected in November 1999. She is retired from Youngstown State University where she was an Associate Professor of English since 1972 and currently has Faculty Emeritus status.

Beth Baldwin has served as the Court Administrator for the Seattle Municipal Court since November, 2015. Before moving to Seattle, Beth worked for 15 years as the Court Administrator of the Fifth Judicial District of Iowa, a 16 county area including Polk County/Des Moines. Beth holds her law degree from the University of Minnesota, her MPA from the Ohio State University and her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.

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Court Leader's Advantage - NACM’s International Committee: Are You Ready for the Adventure?
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05/17/21 • 43 min

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

International work can be challenging. It can also be very rewarding. No matter what, it is an adventure you will remember for the rest of your life. Have you thought about it? Wondered if it was for you? Where would you even go to get answers to your questions?

This month we are talking to folks who have served as consultants on rule of law assignments in countries across the globe. From Russia, to Vietnam, to the Pacific Islands, these panelists have seen it all. Now you will hear their stories first-hand. This episode will give you a taste of international work. We will also tell you about NACM’s own forum for people involved in international work and for those wanting to get involved: The NACM International Committee. In addition, you will learn about the National Center for State Court’s International Division and the outstanding work it is doing around the globe.

Today's Contributors

Michele Oken is a past president of NACM and has chaired the International Committee for the past seven years. In March of 2020, she retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court where she worked as a manager and court administrator for approximately 19 years.

Jeffrey Apperson is Vice President of the National Center for State Courts’ International Division. Jeff works all over the world to help courts establish and improve judicial administration. He directs dozens of programs in 25 or so nations at any given time. He has had leadership roles in projects in Mongolia, Iraq, Brazil, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago, to name just a handful. He co-founded the International Association for Court Administration,

Norman Meyer is a CourtLeader contributor with 38 years of experience as a trial court administrator in the U.S. federal and state courts. Norman has experience working with many foreign judiciaries, especially in the Russian Federation, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania. He received his M.S. in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1979, and a B.A. in political science and Russian studies from the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1977.

Pam Harris is the first woman State Court Administrator for the Maryland Court System. In 1989, she was appointed as the first woman to hold the Court Administrator position for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Pamela has been active in various rule-of-law initiatives in Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka, India, China, and the Ukraine.

Pamela Ryder-Lahey is a Court Management Consultant with 41 years’ experience and most recently Chief Executive Officer for the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Since 2000, she has been involved in Rule of Law and Court Reform projects in several countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Albania, Jamaica, and Philippines.

John Cipperly is a Senior Program Manager with the International Division of the National Center for State Courts. John has more than 15 years of experience in the design and management of justice sector assistance programs for the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and other donors. He has developed or managed programs in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. John is a native English speaker and fluent in Spanish.

Janet Cornell court consultant with over 35 years of experiences with both general and limited jurisdiction courts. Janet is a founding and contributing member to www.courtleader.net. She has a Masters in Public Administration from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management along with certificates from the Leader Coach Institute, Scottsdale, AZ, and the Leadership Institute for Judicial Education.

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Court Leader's Advantage - Judicial Performance Management: What is the World Thinking Now?
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09/17/21 • 38 min

IACA’s Global Conversation Podcast Summer 2021

Measuring judicial performance is a burning topic in many countries around the globe. How to balance the need for timely case resolution with the necessity for just results is a question many court experts have often pondered. Today, our panel of international court professionals will discuss the implications of measuring judicial performance. This episode delves into a number of questions surrounding measuring judicial performance:

· How do you use the performance measures?

· Who gets to see the data?

· What effects does automating judicial performance measurement have?

· Do you tie judicial performance to an overall strategic plan?

· What advice do these court professionals have for the rest of us?

Our panel today Includes:

Angéline Rutazana: Inspector General for the Judiciary of Rwanda

Niceson Karungi: E-Justice Expert with Synergy International Systems

Dr. Aseel Zimmo: Advisor to the Chief Justice and Minister of Justice, Bahrain

Thomas G. Bruton: Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

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November 16th Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

The challenge of mental illness is impacting America nationwide. It impacts our states, our communities, our courts, and our entire justice system. The courts are at the center of the clash between competing funding choices, community concerns, and those struggling with behavioral health issues.

Local jails and detention centers are the largest providers of mental health services in the country. That’s for both adults and children. In 44 states a jail or prison holds more mentally ill individuals than the state’s largest psychiatric hospital. On the other hand, nearly 30 percent of all family homicides involve a mentally ill individual.

This month is the first of five episodes. They will be spread out over the coming winter and spring discussing the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness. Some of the questions we will explore include:

· What do we know now about mental health, incarceration, and the courts?

· What sort of change can courts make to deal with the mental health challenge?

· What options do judges have in helping the mentally ill, what sort of options should judges have? And finally

· What advice do our guests have for the rest of us regarding mental health and the courts?

Today's Panelists

· The Honorable Steve Leifman, Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami, Florida and

· Patti Tobias, Principal Court Management Consultant with the National Center for State Courts in Denver, Colorado

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Court Leader's Advantage - The Voice of the Profession: Public Confidence in the Courts
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12/20/21 • 23 min

December 21st Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

The preliminary results from NACM’s Voice of the Profession survey have revealed folks' number one issue this year: Public Confidence in the Courts. Over 95% of those responding reported that they either agreed or strongly agreed that NACM needs to advocate on behalf of the courts regarding the public’s confidence in our court system. This result is no surprise. The 2021 National Center for State Courts “State of the Courts” survey conducted this past October reported that public trust and confidence in the courts has sunk to a new low: 64%.

A common response to this issue is “we need more public outreach.” If we could just explain what we do and why we did it, the community would immediately embrace the court’s central role in society. This has been disparagingly referred to as the “to know us is to love us” approach. The community may actually know more about the courts than we think and yet remain less than satisfied. Here are three examples of why the public might have a negative impression of courts:

1. Many folks, including our fellow court professionals, think that courts are too complicated, particularly for self-represented litigants

2. Excessive fines, surcharges, and user fees that courts pile on can hobble defendants guilty of relatively minor crimes

3. Courts can exhibit subtle yet systemic bias against people of color, the mentally ill, and the poor.

Some of the questions we will explore this month include:

· Why do we think the public’s confidence in the courts is declining?

· What can and should courts do about this lack of confidence?

· What is NACM’s role in addressing this challenge?

· What advice do these court professionals have for the rest of us?

Today’s Panel includes:

· Samantha Wallis, Assistant Court Administrator for the District Court, in Coeur d’Alene Idaho

· Greg Lambard, Trial Court Administrator for the Superior Court in Middlesex Vicinage, New Jersey

· Danielle Trujillo, Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in Littleton, Colorado

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These last two turbulent years have brought into sharp relief the dynamic tension between a court’s duty to keep both employees and the public safe, and the duty to respect the privacy and the personal choices of those very same employees and the public. This conversation is taking place at a time when many of us thought (or at least hoped), that these kinds of discussions were behind us. We could move on. Yet, as of December of 2021 the recent appearance of yet another COVID variant has raised a new round of concerns.

Three examples suggest points where work life has become increasingly intrusive, yet employees and the public are still at risk.

1) As court offices reopen, some returning employees have refused to disclose their vaccine status. This can put those very same employees as well as others at a higher risk of contracting COVID.

2) As more courthouses open again for staff and the public, some members of the public refuse to disclose their vaccine status and refuse to wear a mask. Security at the front door has occasionally refused them entry; they are therefore being denied access to justice.

3) Courthouses, as public buildings, need to be accessible to the public. However, there have been instances of employees being attacked by individuals.

Three canons of NACM’s Model Code of Conduct for Court Professionals come into play when discussing this dynamic tension:

· NACM Canon 1.1 states that a court professional faithfully carries out all appropriately assigned duties.

Is not the safety of court employees and the public a fundamental duty? What could be more basic than ensuring the health and well-being of the staff and public that comes to the courthouse every day?

· NACM Canon 1.3 states that a court professional must make the court accessible.

Presumably, the courthouse must be accessible to the public and its employees. Can court security limit public access by demanding to know if an individual has legitimate business in the courthouse?

· NACM Canon 2.7 states that a court professional respects the personal lives of litigants, the public, and employees.

How intrusive can security personnel get in demanding to know about the medical background and business of the public and employees?

Today’s Panel includes:

Courtney Whiteside, Court Administrator for the Municipal Court, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Barbara Marcelle, Trial Court Administrator for the 4th Judicial District in Portland, Oregon.

Karl Thoennes, Trial Court Administrator for the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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November 21st, 2023, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Suburban and rural courts often face distinctive issues. These issues are different from those of truly small courts, but also different from the issues faced by massive metropolitan court organizations. It is tempting to always talk about big problems in big courts. It is easy to forget that two-thirds of the courts in our country are benches made up of fewer than 10 judges.

Today’s episode is going to revisit a relatively recent phenomenon: remote hearings. But it is going to look at it from the perspective of courts that are sometimes overlooked: suburban and rural courts.

As recently as 2019, remote hearings were an oddity. Few courts offered them; few parties asked for them. Then came COVID and remote hearings became a regular part of many court calendars. The long-term future of remote hearings is still a question mark. Most litigants, attorneys, and the general public seem to enjoy the convenience of appearing remotely. Judges seem less enthusiastic.

Appearance rates are up; more cases are being cleared. But, technology glitches, scheduling problems, and the casual nature with which some litigants treat remote hearings dampens that support. How do suburban and rural courts address the challenges that come with remote hearings.

Here to discuss this issue are

Angie VanSchoick: Town Clerk and Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the town of Silverthorne, Colorado;

Stacey Fields: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in Crestwood, Missouri;

Danielle Trujillo: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the City of Littleton, Colorado;

Frank Maiocco: Court Administrator for the Superior Court in Kitsap County, Washington

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FAQ

How many episodes does Court Leader's Advantage have?

Court Leader's Advantage currently has 106 episodes available.

What topics does Court Leader's Advantage cover?

The podcast is about Society & Culture and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on Court Leader's Advantage?

The episode title 'The Coronavirus: How are Courts Coping with the Crisis? Thursday, June 18, 2020 Episode:' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Court Leader's Advantage?

The average episode length on Court Leader's Advantage is 33 minutes.

How often are episodes of Court Leader's Advantage released?

Episodes of Court Leader's Advantage are typically released every 21 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of Court Leader's Advantage?

The first episode of Court Leader's Advantage was released on Mar 19, 2019.

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