Past Recipients
2018 Pretrial Detention Reform Workgroup
The Pretrial Detention Reform Workgroup and retired Judge Richard Couzens were honored for their work that led to a new law that replaces money bail with risk assessment. The Chief Justice established the workgroup in fall of 2016 to provide analysis and recommendations for areas in which courts may identify better ways to make pretrial release decisions that will promote fairness, protect the public, and ensure court appearances.
News Release
2017 Butte County Civic Learning Partnership
Butte County Superior Court was one of the first courts to pilot a Civic Learning Partnership, an effort connect more students to the role of the judicial branch and the work of state courts. In its first year, Butte County became the first county in the state to have civic learning resolutions adopted by every school district.
News Release
2016 Award Recipient: Justice Judith D. McConnell, Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District
On May 1, Law Day, Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye selected Administrative Presiding Justice Judith D. McConnell for the Chief Justice's Award for Exemplary Service and 2014Leadership for her outstanding work in civic learning.
News Release
2014 Award Recipient: JusticeCorps
JusticeCorps involves a collaborative effort between participating California superior courts, college campuses, and local community agencies and is sponsored by the Judicial Council of California. As an AmeriCorps national service program, it recruits and trains more than 250 college students and recent graduates each year to support legal self-help centers in local courts. JusticeCorps is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
2013 Award Recipient: California Law Academies
On May 1, Law Day, Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye presented the Chief Justice's Award for Exemplary Service and Leadership to the state's Law Academies. Ruthe Ashley, Chair of the California Law Academy Strategic Task Force, accepted the award and spoke about the academy movement in California, including the work of teachers and mentors from the legal community.
2012 Award Recipient: Open Courts Coalition
Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye presented her first Exemplary Award as leader of the judicial branch on May 8, 2012, to the Open Courts Coalition. The Open Courts Coalition is a campaign of attorneys, labor and business leaders, calling on the Legislature to keep the courthouse doors open by restoring the $350 million that has been cut from the courts in recent years. Coalition cochairs, attorneys Paul Kiesel and Niall McCarthy, pictured right, accepted the award during a Law Day celebration in Sacramento.
2008 Award Recipient: Judge Steven Manley
Superior Court of Santa Clara County was presented the award by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, for his outstanding contributions developing and advancing drug and mental health courts. Judge Manley founded the Santa Clara County Drug Court in 1996 and the Mental Health Court in 1997, one of the largest mental health treatment courts in the United States.
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