National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers

2019 Trial Court Leadership Conference set for Minneapolis at New Hotel Location

The Conference dates are Sunday August 18 to Wednesday, August 21. The hotel site was recently changed due to contractual problems. The new location is the Crowne Plaza Downtown Minneapolis located at 618 Second Avenue South in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. The room rate is $149/night for double or single occupancy. Save the date! Early Conference registration begins on April 1.

National Judicial Outreach Week: March 1-10

Each year, NAPCO has supported the American Bar Association’s National Judicial Outreach Week (NJOW) that encourages judges – and court leaders – to dedicate time to foster a greater understanding in their communities about courts and their important function in our democratic system of justice. The theme this year, as in the past, is the same: “Preserving the Rule of Law.”

NAPCO Conference Evaluations Confirm Productive Pair Emphasis is on Target

As a new trial court leadership / improvement organization on the national scene, NAPCO’s first three annual conferences – Cleveland (2016), Phoenix (2017), and St. Louis (2018) – appear to be well received based on assessments by presiding judges, court executives, and others who’ve attended. Overall, each of these events were ranked “good to excellent” by 96% or more of those completing an internet evaluation after each conference.

Improving Felony Caseflow

The National Center for State Courts, in collaboration with the judges and staff of the Superior Court in Maricopa County (Phoenix) and NAPCO will present a 2.5-day workshop December 3-5, 2018, focused on hands-on, evidence-based methods to improve felony case processing and reduce needless delay. The seminar is the first time NAPCO has co-sponsored a separate educational program outside its annual conference.

Judging the Judges [in Latin America]

One morning this year, in a windowless modern courtroom, Jorge Alberto Rodriguez faced justice. He was accused of driving a stolen car with changed number plates. The judge began by explaining his rights to him. His lawyer then tried to trip up the policemen whom the prosecution had produced as witnesses. To no avail: after an adjournment to allow a missing defense witness to appear via video link, the judge found Mr. Rodriguez guilty. That seemed to square with the evidence.

2018 Court Leadership Conference Agenda

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PRESIDING JUDGES AND COURT EXECUTIVE OFFICERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS Third Annual Court Leadership Academy and Leadership ConferenceLaunching and Leading Turnarounds to Reshape and Renew CourtsOctober 14-17, 2018 • The Ritz-Carlton Hotel • St. Louis, Missouri Get the Full Agenda: PDF SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 201812:00-6:00pm • Registration…

There is no constitutional right to cash money bail, 3rd U.S. Circuit Court rules in NJ case

A federal appeals court on Monday, July 9, 2018, upheld the constitutionality of a New Jersey law that mostly ended the use of monetary bail in that state. The Philadelphia-based Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law in a challenge by Brittan Holland, who was accused of second-degree aggravated assault for his alleged involvement in a bar fight. The New Jersey law had prioritized nonmonetary conditions of release over money bail and had called for a risk-based assessment system to determine whether a defendant is a flight risk or a danger to the community. Holland was released before trial on home detention with electronic monitoring.

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