• Call for Nominations:  AJA announces a call for nominations for leadership positions in the association for 2013-14.  Information about vacancies is available here, and all those interested must complete and submit a Declaration of Candidacy form by July 1, 2013.  Any current member is welcome to submit a candidacy form.

  
  

• The Sedona Conference® announces new publication
  The Sedona Conference® has just released its latest publication, The Sedona Conference® Cooperation Proclamation: Resources for the Judiciary. The Resources are intended to assist state and federal judges with the management of electronically stored information ("ESI") in civil discovery and at trial, focusing on the "stages of litigation from a judge's perspective," beginning with the preservation of ESI and proceeding through the initial case management order, the resolution of discovery disputes, trial issues, and post-judgment awards of ESI-related costs. (More.)

• AJA  presents 2012 American Gavel Award
  The American Judges Association (AJA) presented its third American Gavel Award for National Distinguished Reporting about the Judiciary to SCOTUSblog last week during AJA’s annual conference in New Orleans. (More.)
  
  
• New Center on Access to Justice for All
  Technical assistance available through new Center on Court Access to Justice for All. The National Center for State Courts has launched a new Web site to assist courts in their efforts to expand access to justice. For more information, see this announcement or visit the Access Center at www.ncsc.org/atj. (Announcement.)
  
  
• AJA Congratulates upcoming Mid-year Speaker Hon. Michael Streit

 

Caroline Kennedy, left, presents the 2012 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award to Michael Streit, former Iowa Supreme Court Justice, during a ceremony at the JFK Library in Boston, Monday, May 7, 2012.

Photo: Elise Amendola/AP

 

• AJA is pleased to announce a new affinity credit card program. You can support AJA while earning rewards for yourself by applying for and using a custom Visa® Platinum Card. We encourage you to go to this link - http://www.cardpartner.com/affinity/app/aja - to learn more and to apply for your new card.

 

• AJA announces completion of an updated booklet for judges on domestic violence - Domestic Violence and the Courtroom, Knowing the Issues... Understanding the Victim.

 

• Elder Abuse Online Course: AJA Input:
  The National Center for State Courts, in partnership with the University of California at Irvine Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect, is creating an online elder abuse course for judges and court staff. The core components of the online course will be aligned with our elder abuse curriculum for state judicial educators, available at www.eldersandcourts.org. We are seeking your input to assist us in improving and expanding its content for the online course. (More).
  

 

• AJA holds first webinar! AJA held its first webinar on January 23, with Judge Kevin Burke presenting a session on 'Leadership: Credibility in Action'. The webinar ws full with almost 150 people participating from around the country, and a lengthy waiting list. We are pleased that the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, which generously hosted the webinar, has also sent AJA the recording of the event. You can access the recorded webinar here. [Please note you will hear Judge Burke, see the PowerPoint presentation and the 'chat room' comments by the participants, but will not see a video of Judge Burke.]

   

• Read or listen to a recent story from NPR on budget cuts.

   

• The ABA Commission on Law and Aging announces its online Handbook for court on developing a volunteer guardianship monitoring and assistance program.

   

• AJA Immediate Past President Kevin Burke's article on dealing with the mentally ill recently appeared in the Minnesota Post.

 

• The American Judges Association endorses DWI Courts, as discussed in this press release from the National Center for DWI Courts.

 

• AJA Immediate Past President Kevin Burke’s column on ‘Just why should we care about legal services for the poor?’ appears in the Minnesota Post. Click here for the full article.

   

• AJA had developed a Strategic Plan for 2011-2013 (PDF) with four distinct goals: provide and promote education for the judiciary and the public; improve the effective administration of justice; be a leading voice for the judiciary; and enhance participation and services to AJA members.

 

• Opinion article by AJA Immediate Past President Kevin Burke appears in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

   

• AJA Immediate Past President Kevin Burke was interviewed by NPR’s Wendy Kaufman for a segment on ‘Tainted Foreclosures Concern State Judges’. (Story).
  

 

• As summer ends and the flu season begins, the NCSC provides a streaming media version of our new 15 minute DVD: COOP Planning: Maintaining the Rule of Law – Planning within an All-Hazards Context.

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