2020 Summer Edition

Judicial Division

Courts & Judiciary

Director's Column

By Tori J. Wible, Chicago, IL

When I started writing this column, the news was all about the COVID-19 Pandemic, the economic collapse, skyrocketing unemployment, protests by people who didn’t want to wear masks, and groups of people gathered at Memorial Day gatherings without practicing social distancing.

Courts & Judiciary

Virtual Grand Jury Hearings: Response to the COVID-19 Emergency in Mohave County, Arizona

By Marcus W. Reinkensmeyer, Phoenix, AZ

As part of the COVID-19 emergency response, courts across the country have quickly moved to deploy video conferencing for remote appearances. While such “virtual” hearings have long been conducted for some video arraignments, increasingly robust video platforms now support a wide array of court proceedings for most every case type.

Courts & Judiciary

New Video Presentations Available as Part of the Judicial Division’s Efforts to Help Courts Make Use of Special Masters to Assist with Court Needs

By Merril Hirsh, Washington, DC

Two new Judicial Division videos are available to judges, court staff and stakeholders to help courts make more effective use of special masters.

Courts & Judiciary

Appellate Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19

By Hon. David K. Thomson, Santa Fe, NM

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has required all of us to be flexible and get creative in finding ways to maintain business as usual. Many people are working and schooling from home and opting to video call loved ones instead of visiting them in person.

Appellate Judges Conference

Courts & Judiciary

AJC Chair's Column

By Hon. Albert Diaz, Charlotte, NC

Nearly 244 years ago, facing a very different enemy, Thomas Paine famously intoned, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” As this column goes to print, our battle with a silent yet deadly virus continues.

Courts & Judiciary

CAL Chair's Column

By Deena Jo Schneider, Philadelphia, PA

By the time this column is published, I hope we will be past the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic issues. But the virus is expected to linger, if not spike again, and its effects will not dissipate quickly.

Court Administration

CASA Chair's Column

By Elizabeth T. Ryan, Nashville, TN

In the early discussions this spring about how to manage our court system and what would be appropriate in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of my colleagues commented, “We are building the airplane as we are flying it.” How true that has been.

Lawyers Conference

Courts & Judiciary

LC Chair's Column

By Carolyn A. Dubay, Raleigh, NC

Looking back to my column for the Spring Issue of the JD Record, I had no idea that my life and the lives of people around the world would be turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary

Courts & Judiciary

NCALJ Chair's Column

By Hon. Robert S. Cohen, Tallahassee, FL

When I sat down to write my Chair’s column at the end of February, who knew we were on the verge of stay-at-home orders, teleworking, plenty more home cooked meals than usual, grocery delivery, and, most of all binge-watching series we may have missed throughout the year?

National Conference of Federal Trial Judges

Courts & Judiciary

NCFTJ Chair's Column

By Hon. Leo I. Brisbois, Duluth, MN

Boozhoo Niijii; Gdinimikoon. Hello, Friend; I greet you in a good way. From previous Chair’s Columns in the JD Record, you know that my family and cultural heritage arising out of the Ojibwe/Anishinaabe American Indian community informs my view of the world and events, no less with the current COVID-19 pandemic.

National Conference of Specialized Court Judges

Courts & Judiciary

NCSCJ Chair's Column

By Hon. Shelbonnie Coleman-Hall, Mobile, AL

As I write my last column as NCSCJ Chair, I am also preparing to bury the man who helped change the trajectory of my life. My father, Herman Edward Gamble unexpectedly died during a physical therapy session. He was a decent, kind, generous, easy going and hardworking man.

National Conference of State Trial Judges

Courts & Judiciary

NCSTJ Chair's Column

By Hon. Heather A. Welch, Indianapolis, IN

My year as Chair of the National Conference of State Trial Judges has gone by very quickly and will conclude with our virtual meeting at the end of July. I want to thank Judge Guy Reece, as the Immediate Past Chair, for all his humble advice and for keeping me on the right track.

Courts & Judiciary

Being a Judge in Juvenile Court During COVID-19

By Hon. Mark Jones, Indianapolis, IN

When I was asked to write this brief article about what it’s like being a judge in a juvenile court during the pandemic, my first thought was: “That’s easy: frustrating. No, inspiring. Well, yes, both frustrating and inspiring. Patience required. Where is the blueprint? Thankful. Disjointed. Well, …”

Courts & Judiciary

Law in the Time of Coronavirus

By Hon. Mary Vasaly, Minneapolis, MN

The corona-virus pandemic has required all of us who are part of the judicial system to learn new approaches to legal procedures in record time. Knowing that “justice delayed, is justice denied,” we all have felt pressure to adopt new methods of delivering justice in a timely fashion, despite the absence of the ordinary legal processes that have been a hallmark of our justice system.

American Bar Association TM American Bar Association

2020 Summer Edition

Chair's Column

Judicial Division

Director's Column

Virtual Grand Jury Hearings: Response to the COVID-19 Emergency in Mohave County, Arizona

New Video Presentations Available as Part of the Judicial Division’s Efforts to Help Courts Make Use of Special Masters to Assist with Court Needs

Appellate Advocacy in the Age of COVID-19

Appellate Judges Conference

AJC Chair's Column

CAL Chair's Column

CASA Chair's Column

Lawyers Conference

LC Chair's Column

National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary

NCALJ Chair's Column

National Conference of Federal Trial Judges

NCFTJ Chair's Column

National Conference of Specialized Court Judges

NCSCJ Chair's Column

National Conference of State Trial Judges

NCSTJ Chair's Column

Being a Judge in Juvenile Court During COVID-19

Law in the Time of Coronavirus

Highway to Justice | 2020 Summer