July 14, 2023 National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary

NCALJ Chair's Column

By Hon. Patricia B. Miles, San Francisco, CA

I am privileged that my term as chair coincided with a historic “first” for NCALJ.

A delegation of American administrative law judges traveled to Paris and Versailles, France to attend the annual meeting of the Association of European Administrative Judges (AEAJ) held May 10-13, 2023. The AEAJ is comprised of judges from throughout the European Union, many of whom preside in tribunals that are equivalent to our state and federal appellate and Supreme Courts. The trip was the first under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2022 by the ABA and AEAJ, and was the culmination of efforts begun in 2019 by federal administrative judges Alex Manuel (NCALJ Chair 2020-2021) and Mimi Tsankov (NCALJ Vice Chair). In the memorandum, the European and American judges pledge to partner to enhance the status and competence of the administrative judiciary and to promote the quality, efficiency and delivery of justice throughout the United States and the European Union.

NCALJ and AEAJ members sit on a panel together.

Courtesy of Patricia Miles

Kudos belong to Judge Mimi Tsankov, President of the U.S. National Association of Immigration Judges, who collaborated with AEAJ leaders for several months to develop a comprehensive four-day schedule which included tours of historic court buildings, attendance at hearings before the Administrative Court of Paris, the Administrative Court of Appeals and the Conseil d’État (French Supreme Administrative Court). The AEAJ warmly welcomed our delegation, with a social schedule that included several lunches and dinners, an evening at the Versailles Opera and a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles.

The second morning of the meeting featured a presentation and lively discussion led by Judge Mimi Tsankov on the topic “Muzzled Judges Bring Lawsuit Challenging Personal Capacity Free Speech Rights – Case Highlights Demonstrating the Need for Judicial Independence of Immigration Judges.” As current chair of NCALJ, it was my pleasure to introduce our NCALJ members and to provide a brief presentation “Overview of the Federal and State Administrative Judiciary in the United States.” Judge David Welch (NCALJ Chair-Elect) presented thanks to our hosts and extended an invitation to attend NCALJ’s Executive Committee meeting August 4,2023 during the ABA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

The judges representing the ABA Judicial Division and NCALJ Executive Committee were:

Judge John Allen (Illinois/California)
Judge Lorraine Lee (Washington)
Judge Julian Mann (North Carolina, 2022-2023 Chair-Elect of Judicial Division)
Judge Patricia Miles (California/New York)
Judge Jennifer Russell (California)
Judge Mimi Tsankov (New York)
Judge David Welch (District of Columbia/Indiana)

I am certain that I speak for us all when I say that we will not soon forget our visit to the AEAJ. Please see Judge Tsankov’s detailed report on the visit if you'd like to hear more.