COURTERLY NEWS THE CHIEF S CORNER BY CHIEF JUDGE JAMES K. BOORAS LAKE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT VOLUME 18 NO. 1 MARCH 2009.

Transcription

1 ARBITRATION HOME DETENTION DUI PROBATION JUVENILE INTAKE ADULT PROBATION CLERICAL SUPPORT SERVICES VICTIM ASSISTANCE PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATION JUVENILE DETENTION ADULT PRETRIAL ADOPTIONS PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES ADULT/JUVENILE IPS ADMINISTRATIVE COURTERLY NEWS SERVICES JUVENILE PROBATION REPORTERS COOKS ADULT/JUVENILE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM MAINTENANCE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS LAW L BRARY JURY COMMISSION JUDICIAL OPERATIONS RESOURCE CASEFLOW COORDINATORS PUBLIC SERVICE KIDS KORNER LAKE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT VOLUME 18 NO. 1 MARCH 2009 THE CHIEF S CORNER BY CHIEF JUDGE JAMES K. BOORAS In many nations around the globe, impartial, prompt and effective justice is only a dream. For us, here, it is a living, evolving part of our society, centered in our courts. We have so much more to celebrate than do those in societies that are only now beginning the long struggle to establish democratic institutions. We have so much more to celebrate. Nevertheless, for me, justice is something that I do not take for granted. I will never take it for granted. My life experience has taught me that justice is what the fight is all about, for justice is the lynchpin of those freedoms we hold most dear. In this Issue People Page... Page 2 Judges... Page 3 Employee Recognition Page 4 Law Merit Badge... Page 5 Juvenile - MST... Page 5 Fast Facts... Page 6 Adult Probation... Page 6 JIS-Computer Cleaning Page 7 Law Library... Page 8 Nybbles and Bits... Page 9 In the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, thousands of people enter our courthouses every day. They come as lawyers and litigants, as jurors and witnesses, as friends, family and curious observers. They seek justice on issues that run the gamut of human experiences: family disputes, criminal matters, civil rights, commercial and financial disagreements. The viability of our justice system, the strength of each individual s willingness to accept and obey our orders, depends on those who use our courts, and what they think about how we do our work. Moreover, what they think depends on the totality of what they observe and experience in our courts. Those of us who serve must remember that we are the stewards of the third branch of government. We are entrusted by the public to make our system better for future generations, for it (the judicial system) will be here long after our children s children s children pass on. We must remain vigilant in our quest to consistently seek ways to further improve the administration of justice here in Lake County. The vision statement and mission statement for our court system speak very specifically to the importance of maintaining an independent Judiciary as well as earning the respect and confidence of an informed citizenry of Lake County. Obviously, these fundamentals are not unique to the many courts across our great State and in fact arguably could be viewed as the cornerstone of any judicial system. Those of us who serve must remember that we make our system better for future generations, for it (the judicial system) will be here long after our children s children s children pass on. Our current Strategic Plan embraces the Trial Court Performance Standards published by the national Center for State Courts (July 1990). These standards group the fundamental responsibilities or purposes of our trial court into five elements: 1) Access to Justice, 2) Expedition and Timeliness, 3) Equality, Fairness and Integrity, 4) Independence and Accountability, 5) Public Trust and Confidence. These standards will continue to serve as the foundation for our future activities both in the short term and in the long term. The Judiciary, in general terms and as well as here in Lake County, must assert and maintain its distinctiveness as a separate branch of government. Within the organizational structure of the judicial branch of government, we must establish our legal and organizational boundaries, monitor and control our operations, and account publicly for our performance. Independence and accountability permit government by law, access to justice and timely resolution of disputes with equality, fairness and integrity. They engender public trust and confidence. We must both control our proper functions and demonstrate respect for our co-equal partners in government. However, it may be seen in philosophical or historical terms, a judicial system is a cont. Page 9

2 Kelly J. Merz Date of Hire: December 15, 2008 Position: Clerk, Adult Public Service Unit Ryan M. Moxley Date of Hire: January 26, 2009 Position: Public Service Clerk, Juvenile Probation Scott Keenan Date of Hire: March 2, 2009 Position: Part-time Cook, Juvenile Detention Collin Smith Date of Hire: March 2, 2009 Position: Juvenile Counselor Susan Nutgrass Date of Hire: March 9, 2009 Position: Senior Secretary, Juvenile Intake Lake County recently held its annual breakfast to honor employees who have reached major milestones in their employment with the County during Chief Judge James Booras was there to present the awards to the following recipients: 20 YEARS: Mario Urbina, Principal Juvenile Probation Officer Sia Booras, Senior Juvenile Probation Officer Georgia Carrasco, Juvenile, Executive Secretary Scott Francke, Principal Juvenile Probation Officer Robert Geidner, Adult, Principal Probation Officer James Kuklinski, Adult, Principal Probation Officer 25 YEARS: Sheryl Anderson, Judicial Operations, Executive Secretary Brenda Chibucos, Adult, Principal Probation Officer Keith Cooprider, Adult, Principal Probation Officer 30 YEARS: Steven Sachs, Adult, Senior Probation Officer Susan Korpai, Superintendent, Juvenile Detention 35 YEARS: James Schelinski, Adult, Principal Probation Officer 40 YEARS: Diane Flory, Judicial Operations, Assistant Director BRENDA CHIBUCOS October Employee of the Month Brenda has been selected as the Employee of the Month for October As a highly respected employee of the Sex Offender Unit in Adult Probation serving as a Principal Probation Officer and Unit Coordinator, she joined the Courts on January 3, 1983 and has a B.S. degree from Western Illinois University. Brenda is an exemplary officer who not only does her job but goes above and beyond on a daily basis to get the job done. She does not call attention to herself and is focused on others. Brenda assists her fellow officers with their cases and is supportive of their career goals. She participates in COG and encourages her clients to participate even when not ordered to. A few years ago, she noticed a past probationer in McDonalds on Christmas Eve and found out he was homeless and in need of assistance. She stayed late finding shelter and food for him and provided him money in addition to taking up a collection in the office to help him. While on vacation, she stays in-touch by and ensures that all cases are covered. Brenda s ability to coordinate with other officers and focus on the needs of the probationers increases the safety of the community and makes her an exceptional officer and an exceptional employee. Congratulations Brenda! LORENZO BESS November Employee of the Month Lorenzo, a Juvenile Probation Officer, has been selected as the Employee of the Month for November He joined the Courts on June 13, 2005 and has a B.A. degree from Columbia. Over the past two years, Lorenzo has been instrumental in the development and facilitation of Positive Community Take Over (PCTO) which is a newly developed community based program in coordination with the City of North Chicago, Omni Youth Services, and Juvenile Probation. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the youth through his tireless efforts to provide strong leadership and mentoring to these young men. In addition to the weekly programming, that includes providing transportation, recreation, and therapeutic services; Lorenzo recently organized a community forum, took the group to a Chicago Bears game, and supervised the youth for a community service program. He recently gave a presentation to the N. Chicago School Board and has offered the presentation to IPCSA and other counties. Throughout this process strong relationships have been developed with the community including the N. Chicago Police, Mayor s Office, school district, Omni, and religious community leaders. Congratulations Lorenzo! CANDACE DODD December Employee of the Month Candace has been selected as the Employee of the Month for December As a highly respected employee of Adult Probation serving as a Secretary, she joined the Courts on July 2, 2007 and has an A.A. degree from College of Lake County. Candace consistently goes out of her way to be at the service of the Probation Officers and Assistant Directors. She takes initiative every day to go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure every person in the division can do their job well. Without her diligence, many officers would get bogged down with the little things that she takes pride in helping complete. Along with working extremely hard to help the division run smoothly, she is a bright and happy employee that is recognized every day for her luminous spirit and grace. When Laura Chavez was on medical leave, Candace filled in often along with completing her regular duties. She takes pride in every phone call, every letter, and every piece of her work. She deserves to be recognized as the Employee of the Month! Congratulations Candace! Courterly News March 2009 Page 2

3 JOHN M. SCULLY Sworn in February 24 Judge Scully retired from the United States Attorney s Office in He began his federal career with the Department of Justice in 1982 as a Special Attorney with the United States Organized Crime Strike Force; with the Strike Force merging with the United States Attorney s Office in In 2008, Judge Scully was presented with the John Marshall Award from the Attorney General of the United States. This award is the Department of Justice s highest award presented to attorneys for contributions and excellence in legal performance. Judge Scully career as a prosecutor began in the early 1980 s in the Lake County Assistant State s Attorney Office as an Assistant State s Attorney. Judge Scully and his wife Pat are area residents with four grown children and four grandchildren. DONNA-JO VORDERSTRASSE Sworn in March 9 Judge Vorderstrasse was a partner in the Law firm of Diver, Grach, Quade & Masini. She has practiced her entire 25 year career in Lake County, concentrating in family law, mediation and real estate. She has extensive involvement in the Association of Women Attorneys in Lake County, having served as Treasurer, Vice-President, and finally as President in Judge Vorderstrasse served as an Assistant State s Attorney in the Lake County State s Attorney s Office from She and her family reside in the Fox Lake area. CIRCUIT JUDGE VICTORIA ROSSETTI CIRCUIT JUDGE JORGE ORTIZ Judge Ortiz has served as a guest speaker and panelist for the following: On September 8, 2008, Judge Ortiz served on a judge s panel at the Western Interstate Child Support Enforcement Conference in San Antonio, Texas. His topic involved problem solving court techniques in the child support enforcement courts. Judge Ortiz was the keynote speaker at the Puerto Rican Society of Waukegan s 44th Annual Scholarship Dinner on October 11, On October 21, 2008, Judge Ortiz served on a panel at the Illinois Family Support Enforcement Association Annual Meeting in Rend Lake, Illinois. Issues included child and medical support and parentage as well as new case law. Judge Ortiz spoke at a seminar jointly sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association Bench and Bar and Family Section Councils on November 20, 2008 at the Hoffman Estates Campus of Northern Illinois University. His topic was Illinois Supreme Court Rules and Child Custody Cases. Judge Ortiz has served as a Circuit Judge since August 2008 and is currently Presiding Judge over the Family Division. Judge Victoria Rossetti was the recipient of the IMPRESA AWARD presented by The Women s Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian-Americans at their tenth annual awards reception and luncheon. The IMPRESA AWARD is presented in honor of women from the Chicago Italian-American community who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments for the betterment of their communities. They are recognized as role models for younger generations of Italian-American women and serve in numerous capacities. Judge Rossetti has served as Circuit Judge since 2002 and is currently serving as Acting Chief Judge. Associate Judge Daniel Shanes Judge Daniel Shanes was the recipient of the 2008 Fred L. Foreman Award announced by the Children s Advocacy Center. The Fred L. Foreman Award is given to an individual in the criminal justice system who has demonstrated their commitment to the children of Lake County through their significant efforts and support. Judge Shanes has served as an Associate Judge since Courterly News March 2009 Page 3

4 Lori Sandquist, Juvenile Probation Officer Lori recently received the Lake County Juvenile Officers Association Juvenile Justice Award for 2008 for her dedication and commitment in working with juvenile sex offenders in Lake County. She is the single officer assigned to supervise these young offenders. Police officer members of the Association suggested that Lori receive this award and that she be recognized for her positive attitude and responsiveness to the needs of others. Lori has been employed with the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit since 1996, working both in detention and probation and has a comprehensive knowledge base of the Juvenile Justice System. JANUARY - MARCH 2009 YEARS OF SERVICE E 10 YEARS Julie Patterson, Adult Senior Probation Officer - January 4 Loretta Robertson, Kids Korner - January 26 Mark Belgrado, Senior Accountant - February 8 Brian Isom, Adult Probation Officer - February 16 Lanita Sanders, Juvenile Counselor - February 22 Marci Jumisko, Director of Admin. Services - February YEARS Adley Parker, Adult Principal Probation Officer - January 3 Pom Jones, Caseflow Coordinator- February 14 Jan Mosley, Court Reporter - February 21 A coffee was held recently to honor Diane Flory started as a state employee as Administrative to Assistant Director. When Diane left the State s to become a County employee. This is reflective of demonstrated throughout her years with the courts. Diane knows that, not only is she excellent in the pleasant and helpful to everyone. DIANE FLORY Over 40 years of Service for completing her 41st year with the Courts. Diane Assistant to the Chief Judge and was later promoted employment, Bob Zastany offered her the opportunity the dedication and work ethic that Diane has always Anyone who has had the opportunity to work with administration of her duties, but she is always Today s kids spend an average of 6 hours a day planted in front of an electronic screen - spending about half as much time outdoors as you did when you were a kid. No making mud pies. No catching fireflies. Not building forts. No swinging on trees. No looking for critters under rocks. No feeling the wind in their faces. No discovering tadpoles. No daydreaming while watching the clouds roll by Unplugged isn t just about going outside for baseball or soccer practice or recess at school. Unplugged is about giving your child a GREEN HOUR every day, unstructured time in green spaces to explore, imagine, and discover. It s healthy and it s FUN. Children who regularly spend unstructured time outside: Play more creatively Have lower stress levels Have more active imaginations Become fitter and leaner Develop stronger immune systems Experience fewer symptoms of ADD and ADHD Have greater respect for themselves, for others, and for the environment K i d s Korner would like to thank the volunteers who come in and give of themselves to help the children that come to Kids Korner during, what can be a difficult time for them in their young lives. National Volunteer Week April 19-25, 2009 Celebrate National Volunteer Week and say thank you to the wonderful volunteers that give so much of their time, energy and love to all of our programs. We couldn t do it without them! Tell them so! Courterly News March 2009 Page 4

5 TWELFTH ANNUAL LAW MERIT BADGE DAY On January 24, the quietness that usually reigns over the courthouse on weekends ended early on that Saturday morning when approximately 60 Boy Scouts entered the building to take part in the annual Law Merit Badge Day program. The program is a collaborative effort with the support of Chief Judge James Booras, Sheriff Mark Curran, Coroner Dr. Richard Keller, and the College of Lake County in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America Northeast Illinois Council. The day began with a welcome and introduction to the day s program given by Robert Zastany followed by the scouts taking tours of the Coroner s facility, Lake County Jail and of the courthouse. The scouts received an overview of the requirements that need to be completed to earn the Law Merit Badge. Judge George Bridges led the session that introduced the attendees to the differences between civil and criminal laws; the origin of law; the development of the jury system; the Justinian Code and Magna Carta; and famous trials in history. After lunch, Judge David Brodsky addressed issues including indigent legal assistance, copyrights, and internet piracy. The Scouts then participated as members of a jury in a mock trial. Judge Brian Hughes provided information about required education and how one acquires a law degree; the requirements to become a judge and how judges are selected. Not only were there scouts from the Lake County area, but also from Palatine, Des Plaines, Calumet and Iowa City. acky H O li D ays January - Oatmeal Month February - Canned Food Month 10 - Peculiar People Day 7 - Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day 16 - National Nothing Day 11 - Don t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day 24 - Beer Can Appreciation Day 28 - Public Sleeping Day March - Poetry Month 1 - National Pig Day 20 - Extraterrestrial Abduction Day 28 - Something on a Stick Day These wacky holidays and so many others can be found at JUVENILE OFFERS MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY (MST) AS A RESOURCE Juvenile Probation / Detention Services continues to work with numerous service providers in the community and continues to strive towards offering evidence-based resources to fit the guidelines of the Balance and Restorative Justice model. Kids Hope United has obtained a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement a MST Program for probation youth in Lake County. The MST team consists of two therapists and one supervisor. What is MST? MST is a unique, goal-oriented; comprehensive treatment program designed to serve multi-problem youth in their community in ways that promote positive social behavior. MST is a family-focused and community-based treatment program that has: Been the focus of several major research studies; Demonstrated clinical and cost effectiveness for youth with complex emotional, social and academic needs; and Been developed at the Family Services Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, and uses only treatment strategies that are supported by research. MST interventions focus on family relations, school performance, peer relation, and neighborhood and community relations. MST therapists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each therapist carries a small caseload of 4-6 families in order to provide intensive services and multiple contacts with the family. The average length of treatment is 3-5 months. MST targets chronic, violent, or substance-abusing male and female juvenile offenders at risk of out-of-home placement. The primary goal of MST is to reduce youth criminal activity, reduce other types of anti-social behavior and achieve these outcomes at a cost savings by decreasing rates of incarceration, commitments to the Department of Juvenile Justice and out-of-home placements. Juvenile Probation / Detention Services will continue to keep the circuit updated as to the progress of treatment with families in this program and look forward to our continued efforts to seek out advantageous resources to service our clients in Lake County. Courterly News March 2009 Page 5

6 FAST FACTS BY MARCI JUMISKO, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES LAKE COUNTY RECEIVES GRANT MONEY In December 2008, Judicial Budget and Finance and Judicial Human Resources were re-organized to form the Administrative Services Division. Here are some Fast Facts about the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit s personnel services. $ In 2008, JHR processed the hiring of 20 new employees, the promotion of 12 employees by career path and 2 employees to positions of increased responsibility, the internal transfer of 7 employees, and the leaving of 22 individuals, including 2 retirements. $ At the start of the current fiscal year, the Circuit Court had 252 authorized county positions and 22 authorized state positions for a total of 274 employees (excluding judges). $ The payroll for the court s county employees is budgeted at $13,978,603 for FY09. Benefits are budgeted at an additional $4,356,717. Payroll and benefits represent 80% of the court s overall budget. Become a Probation Volunteer with the Lake County Probation Volunteer Program Turn a life around by volunteering for the Adult and Juvenile Probation Programs. This awardwinning program of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court has been in existence for nearly 35 years! With the main focus being to reduce recidivism, volunteers have made a vital impact by making the Lake County probation system more effective and efficient through: Support Mentoring Education/Tutoring Lake County recently received notification from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women on approval for funding a Family Visitation and Exchange Center. This request for grant money to provide a center was a collaborative effort supported by Lake County, Safe Place and the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit. The funding, made under the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program, amounts to $395,984 and will be disbursed over a 36-month period. The purpose of a Family Visitation and Exchange Center here in Lake County is to provide a secure place for parents to exchange custody and/or for children to visit with their non-custodial parents in situations where the court has determined that restricted visitation is necessary to protect a child s safety and that of the custodial mother, as in cases of domestic violence. The Center will provide visitation and exchange services for low to moderate income families and underserved families. Services in Spanish will be offered. Assisting Probation Officers/Units Life Skills Training Court Services Coordinator and Volunteer Program Supervisor, Nicole Totoni recruits community members from all over, including South Eastern Wisconsin, Lake County and Cook County. Volunteers go through an application process and a criminal background check. Once completed they are interviewed and assigned placement. Volunteers attend continuous training throughout the year to keep themselves educated on new philosophy and procedures. They are assigned to specific groups, officers or units. Volunteers work with medium to low-risk probation clients within the Group Reporting program and individual office visits. They are evaluated on their performance and promoted to various volunteer positions. Volunteers are needed for day and evening sessions in Adult and Juvenile as well as various Lake County locations. Part of a volunteer s position is to be a positive role model and to help change someone s life. For more information on the Lake County Probation Volunteer Program or if you wish to become a volunteer, please contact Nicole Totoni at (847) or ntotoni@clcillinois.edu. Frank Kuzmickus honoring the volunteers Mary Jo, a volunteer Cheryl Reese and Nicole Totoni Julie, Bruce, Rosie and Maggie, volunteers Courterly News March 2009 Page 6

7 A LITTLE HOME COMPUTER SPRING CLEANING Tools needed: Can of compressed air Small paintbrush (cover metal piece with tape) Damp cloth or Electronic Cleaning Wipes Toothbrush Zip ties If you re like most of us, your computer has become a central point in your home. From entertainment, to finances, the home computer has become indispensable in our day to day life. To keep it running at peak performance, it s important to periodically clean the unit. Moisture and dirt are two of the most common causes of electronic failure. So let s get started. The main box (CPU) has a series of fans that pull air into the unit for cooling. There is usually at least one fan in the front of the box itself, another for the motherboard and the processor in the back, and yet another inside the power supply. If you ve recently purchased a video card, chances are the card also has a fan. While all this cooling is great, it also pulls in dirt and dust which collects on the electronics of the box. Cleaning this isn t a big deal but must be done with care. Simply turn off the computer, unplug the power cord and mark each of the cables and connections before removing them. The idea is to move your computer to an area where it can be cleaned. Outside is preferred but any covered area away from moisture is okay. It s going to get dusty! Open your computer box on one side and, with the compressed air, simply blow off the various parts, taking care not to touch anything inside. Give special attention to the fans. Don t use your air compressor as it typically doesn't have the moisture trapping capabilities necessary to use on electronic stuff. You can use a small paint brush to lightly loosen the built up stuff. There are vent holes in the casing of the power supply. Feel free to use the little red plastic nozzle and blow out the inside of this component. Again, do not put anything directly inside the power supply, just use the nozzle to direct the compressed air to remove the majority of the collected dust. Don t forget the USB, floppy drive and CD or DVD players, dust bunnies gets stuck inside of these and will soon make them stop working. On the front of most CD-ROM and DVD-ROM players is a small hole that you can insert the end of paperclip into to release the catch. Use the little red plastic nozzle and blow out the inside of these components also. Once satisfied, close up the unit and take it back into the house. Now would be a good time to use a damp cloth and clean the outside of the unit. Reinstall the computer and make certain everything is operational again. Next step is to finally get those cables organized. The best way to do this is to use zip ties to put everything in order. Another option available at the computer or automotive parts store is a hard plastic, flexible pipe. It has a slit from one end to the other and it s a snap to stuff all the cables going up the desk into this handy holder making everything much neater and cleaner. Lastly, you want to use either a water damp cloth or Electronic Cleaning Wipes to wipe down your keyboard, mouse and monitor. I personally use a damp cloth and old toothbrush to clean my keyboard. It keeps the sides of the keys cleaner and as long as just a little water is used, there is no problem with this method. The Electronic Cleaning Wipes used for the monitor are basically Anti-Static/Alcohol Free wipes made for the special coatings on your expensive screen. Do not use glass cleaners because they have alcohol and other chemicals in them that damage the screen s surface and coatings. Now that it looks brand new again, how about updating the software and drivers? HAPPY ST. PATRICK S DAY The Courterly News Staff Arminda Badgerow Diane Flory Joe Kelroy Rosanne Sherwood Rob Zastany, Jr. HAPPY EASTER Courterly News March 2009 Page 7

8 NEW MATERIALS: The Military Divorce Handbook: A Practical Guide to Representing Military Personnel and Their Families - Mark E. Sullivan Rule 11 Sanctions: Case Law, Perspectives and Preventative Measures - Georgene M. Vairo, Edited by Richard G. Johnson The Elderlaw Portfolio Series 2008, Aspen Publishers - Harry S. Margolis, General Editor Elder Law, Wisconsin Practice Serious, Edition - Jay E. Grenig Recession Survival Guide - Resources for Tough Economic Times Elder Law Essentials QUOTES FROM CHURCH BULLETINS Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. The law librarian, Peggy, and the Peggy library staff, Liz and Melinda, entered a photo contest with the American Law Libraries. The contest was to depict in the photos what they do best. These photos show Liz and Melinda handing out pre-printed forms and explaining procedures, only a small part of their daily duties. The winners will be announced in the April issue of Spectrum Magazine. Good luck to our Library Staff!! Melinda Liz Mother s Day May million estimated mothers in million women have babies each year is the median age of women who give birth. 36,000 births each year that do not occur in hospitals. 1 in 31 odds that a woman has in delivering twins. Father s Day - June million dads in America. 98,000 fathers are stay-at-home dads. 2.3 million are single fathers. 31% of them are due child support from their child s mother. 38% of working dads say they would take a pay cut to spend more time with their kids. Courterly News March 2009 Page 8

9 THE CHIEF S CORNER continued service function of a society or a government. Essentially courts are created to serve basic human needs and we cannot serve our high purpose on sentiment, tradition or folklore. When we think of the Judiciary, we tend to focus on the judges that serve the public. Judges, of course, are one cornerstone of the judicial system. However, we cannot do our work without the necessary staff that is highly trained and motivated to provide matchless service to the courts and to the citizens of Lake County. Probation staff, juvenile counselors, court reporters, court clerks, security personnel and scores of other tremendously talented individuals perform essential functions in the judicial process. I look forward to and am proud to be working with each and every one of them. Oftentimes, people measure the quality of justice by opinions and decisions that are given by the judiciary and verdicts that are reached by juries. The view of the citizenry on the quality of justice provided in Lake County is overwhelmingly positive, and that is primarily due to the responsiveness and commitment that is executed daily by the judges and staff of the Nineteenth Circuit. In addition, I believe that the quality of the decisions reached each day by our judges is unsurpassed by any others in the State. However, over the past few years, there has been concern about the lack of growth in resources, specifically in the area of judges, court reporters, probation officers and courtrooms. Complicating the issue is also the fact that our judges are handling burgeoning caseloads, some cases that require more hearing time than court calls permit, this is especially true in our high volume courts. I can assure you, however, that accountability shall not be compromised, and that the court will continue to meet the needs of the people it serves. I believe that the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit is recognized as one of the most progressive court systems nationwide, and we will continue to work to uphold its respectable reputation. I wish to express my appreciation to the Judges of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit for their participation in the preparation of this plan and to Robert Zastany the Executive Director of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit for his contribution to this article. NYBBLES AND BITS Going Green IT In today s chaotic economic times we all bear a responsibility as government employees to save our workplaces as much money as we can. The combined efforts of all Nineteenth Circuit employees can make a difference to our bottom line. Each of the following steps may seem small but combined together can make a difference. Turn off (shutdown) computer and monitors when leaving at the end of the day. Turn off lights in unused conference rooms, offices, washrooms Make sure appliances like coffee pots and radios are off when not in use. One of the greatest expenses of any workplace is waste removal. Each can of garbage has a price tag on it. Consider paper waste, when printing . Encourage digital files storage over paper file cabinets. Reuse paper scraps when taking notes or printing low priority print jobs. Make sure to separate recyclables from trash and place them into the proper bins. Climate control settings are not to be tampered with. Please be aware of overuse of space heaters and fans. These are heavy load use devices which can drastically alter temperature outside your work area. In addition to our printer cartridge recycle program we at the 19 th Circuit Courts are starting a cell phone recycling program. This will safely dispose of potentially toxic waste. Drop off locations will be announced after we have sent out the backlog of old phones that have collected over the years. Thank you for your support. Courterly News March 2009 Page 9