While our hopes to have the pandemic in the rear-view mirror by the end of 2021 didn't materialize, the past year was nonetheless one of inspiration and education on Gavel Talks.
Host Richard Ginkowski takes a look back at 2021’s Gavel Talks highlights to remind us that this podcast is by, for and about judges and it's easy and painless for judges to participate.
With fingers crossed that 2022 won't be "2020: The Second Sequel" we look forward to another year of serving you.
We begin our look back with Judicial Security expert John Muffler assessing the January 6, 2021 invasion of the United States Capitol and how judges at all levels must become more engaged in protecting themselves and their staff.
Judge Ronald Ramsey, former chair of the National Conference of Specialized Court Judges, told us that the virtual and online service transitions many courts made during the pandemic are a genie that isn't going back into the bottle.
Benes Aldana told us that for the National Judicial College the "silver lining" was that more judges were able to participate in NJC education programs.
From Nashville to East Troy, Wisconsin we heard about how judges are making a difference in their communities with Judge Allegra Walker's job far and the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment Judge Michael Cotter introduced to keep kids and their families from becoming statistics.
Judge Reginald Mathews in Lake County, Illinois, who is also a youth pastor, reflected on how his faith and the mentoring he received shaped him and how he "pays it forward" as a judge in his community.
Retired Iowa Administrative Law Judge Emily Chafa encouraged all judges to join in the Judicial Division's Judicial Outreach Program.