The
Sound Block |
| 9TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT JOURNAL WINTER, 1997 |
The
Sound Block |
| 9TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT JOURNAL WINTER, 1997 |
sound block (sound blok) n. A piece of wood or other hard substance usually in a circular or square form. Primarily used by judges to strike their gavel on to open court or gain attention. [Orig. English Common Law, 1655]
Court Administration is proud to introduce the first issue of The Sound Block. This will be a quarterly newsletter distributed to our staff and other Florida Circuit Courts. Staff members are encouraged to submit information about their operation in an effort to inform the rest of the Court and external readers. This document will be accessible on the Internet at: http://www.ninja9.org
At the November (1996)Judges' meeting, the Bench unanimously agreed to adopt the proposed mission statement for the Circuit Court and Court Administration. The Ninth Judicial Circuit's mission is to "fairly and impartially administer justice and resolve disputes brought before the Court". Court Administration's mission is to "efficiently and effectively provide comprehensive administrative support to all Judges of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, manage programs and act as a liaison between the court and people we serve".
By adopting this posture, the Court has departed on a new course designed to be proactive rather than reactive. Planning for the future will become the Court's top priority. It is time for the Court to be a leader in the judicial arena and use emerging technology to our greatest advantage.
The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court is further pursuing the Chief Justice's mandate to improve court accessibility. As a unique branch of government, we have been charged with the responsibility of providing indispensable services to the general electorate. Towards this end, the Orange County Division recently implemented an Evening Dissolution Court and plans have been developed for an identical program in the Osceola County Division.
It is our desire to create an efficient organization which will maintain the public's trust and respect while accomplishing our mission in an expeditious manner.
This inaugural issue of The Sound Block is one step towards disseminating information and keeping everyone appraised of the Courts' ongoing projects and achievements.
The new year has brought several changes to the Bench.
The Honorable Rom W. Powell, Administrative Judge for the Circuit Civil Division, retired at the end of 1996. Judge Powell's career spanned 33 years. He was a prosecutor for 12 years, in private practice for 3 years and a judge for 18 years. During his judicial tenure, he sat in the Criminal, Juvenile and Civil Divisions. Unfortunately, Judge Powell will not have time to pursue his love of saltwater fishing full-time. He has assumed the role of Senior Judge and will assist the Court in hearing Civil matters. Judge Powell's assistant, Penny Evans, also retired at the end of 1996.
The Honorable Steven R. Wallace retired from the Bench after serving 8 years as a County Judge. Judge Wallace will become a Senior Judge and will assist the Tenth Circuit Court with their caseload.
On 1-7-97, the Honorable Alice Blackwell White was appointed Administrative Judge of the Circuit Civil Division. She is the first woman to hold this post in the history of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court. Judge White was appointed to the Bench in 1991 by Governor Chiles where she sat in the Circuit Criminal Division.
The Honorable Roger McDonald was recently elected as a Circuit Court Judge for Osceola Co. He will preside over most felony cases originating there. Judge McDonald previously practiced civil law for 25 years.
The Honorable Tony Johnson was also elected to the bench in November's race. He will sit in Osceola Co. as a Circuit Court Judge to hear juvenile delinquency and adult felony cases. He has held a variety of public and private sector positions including County Judge in 1985.
The Honorable James E. Henson will take the Bench after being recently elected. He will sit as an Orange County Judge in the Traffic Division.
The Investiture for Circuit Court Judges McDonald and Johnson and County Judge Henson will be held on Friday, 2/14/97 at 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, Mariott Hotel Downtown, 400 W. Livingston Street, Orlando.
IN MEMORIAM
The Court sadly announces the passing of The Honorable Gary L. Formet, Sr.
Judge Formet passed away in December, 1996 after a long illness. From 1979-1985, he was a County Judge until he was appointed to the Circuit Court Bench in 1986. Judge Formet was extremely active in many legal and community organizations. He received numerous civic and professional awards during his career.
The Honorable Belvin Perry, Jr., Chief Judge, recently issued the following Administrative Orders:
Order 07-96-36 is effective nunc pro tunc to January 7, 1997 and governs the assignment of Circuit Judges to the appellate panels for 1997.
Order 07-96-37 is effective February 3, 1997. It establishes a five week cycle for the scheduling of proceedings in the Orange Co. Criminal Division and the scheduling of misdemeanor arraignments to 8:30 a.m. daily.
Order 07-96-38 is effective February 3, 1997 and amends Order 07-94-49 concerning code enforcement citations. Specifically, sections 1 & 3 shall now be assigned to the Judges in Subdivisions 61-64 instead of 50 and daily code enforcement arraignments be held daily at 8:30 a.m. pursuant to
Order 07-96-37.
Court Administration is delighted to announce the implementation of an Employee of the Quarter program. The program is designed to recognize exemplary service rendered by a staff member. The winner's name will be submitted by department leaders and selected by the Chief Judge. Each winner will receive a merit day off, the use of a free parking space for the next quarter and a letter of commendation in your permanent file. Remember, everyone is a winner in the Ninth Circuit Court.
Do not fail to learn from the pure voice of an ever-flowing mountain stream splashing over rocks
Morihei Ueshiba
Employee Updates
The Court welcomes Charles L. Hydovitz to the Administrative Office. Charles will be the Deputy Court Administrator for Strategic Planning. He will be responsible for implementing the Court's goals & objectives under the current 2 and 5 year plan. Charles relocated from Pittsburgh, PA where he most recently was the Manager of Night Court operations. He has held a variety of positions including Administrator for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety and Adult Parole Officer. Charles holds a B.A. in Public Administration from the Univ. of Massachusetts/Amherst and an M.A. in Law & Justice from the Univ. of Pittsburgh. Currently, Charles is pursuing a Fellowship through the Institute for Court Management.The Court also welcomes Susan McGee and Diane Ward to the Official Court Reporter staff. Leda Freire and Lisa Akai joined the Electronic Court Reporter staff.
Heather Kolinsky was hired as a Trial Court Law Clerk in January.
Denise Forster was hired as the new Indigency Examiner.
There were a series of changes among the Judicial Assistants. Pepper Nagle is now the J.A. to Judge Johnson and Judy Ball became the J.A. to Judge Blechman. Debbie Hafner and Mary Wilder will be J.A.s to Judges Henson and McDonald respectively.
IT'S A BOY!!! Congratulations are in order for Michelle & Robert Austin who had a beautiful baby boy named Parker on 12-19-96. Parker tipped the scales at 6 lbs, 12 oz and measured 19 inches. Best of luck to both Parker and his parents.
Osceola's Victim Assistance Program helped two families who were victims of domestic violence by providing them with food and toys during the Christmas season. Our thanks go to the Guardian Ad Litem Program and Salvation Army who cooperated with the Court to help needy families.
The Family Court Intake Unit will celebrate it's second anniversary on February 6, 1997. Since the Unit began 4,560 pro se cases were filed. Of that number, 4,241 or 93% of all cases filed were closed. Congratulations go to this group whose efforts are appreciated by all.
Employee Milestones
The following employees recently celebrated 20 years of service with Orange County:
Stephen L. Simon, Deputy Court Administrator; Linda S. Sherwood, Witness Management and Jean Williams, ECR Program Coordinator.
According to Assistant Court Administrator Karen Levey, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice recently awarded Orange County's Teen Court program a Prevention and Diversion Grant for $53,000. Teen Court provides pretrial diversion to youth under 18 who are arrested for 1st time misdemeanor and/or traffic offenses. The grant will enable Teen Court to expand its hours of operation to two nights per week and divert approximately 1,000 cases from the normal judicial process.
This funding will support 1 full-time and 2 part-time positions. Anyone wishing further information on employment or program activities, please contact Karen at 836-2047 or Diana Steele at 836-7590.
JUVENILE CENTER RENAMED
On October 9, 1996, the Juvenile Justice Center was renamed The Thomas S. Kirk Juvenile Justice Center in honor of Judge Kirk's achievements and contributions to the Orange County and Central Florida community.
JUVENILE DEPENDENCY MEDIATION
Family and County Mediation Coordinator Kathy Reuter announced J.D.M. began on 11-22-96 at the Thomas S. Kirk Juvenile Justice Center. Staff and contract mediators will be attempting to resolve issues between children, Family Services, GALs, parents and attorneys. The program has been very successful in other counties where a majority of cases are amicably resolved.
Work is progressing towards a late summer/fall completion date according to Construction Management.
The new judicial complex will include a 23-level courthouse tower and two identical 5 story office buildings for the State Attorney and Public Defender. A 750 space parking lot will be adjacent to the judicial center.
Tours will continue on Thursday afternoons. To schedule an appointment, contact Pat Simon at 245-7844. Groups of up to 20 will receive a 1- 1 hour tour of the new complex. Hard hats are required. Be advised, you may encounter dirt, sand & dust so wear appropriate clothing.
In Osceola County, Courthouse planning is proceeding smoothly. Senior Deputy Court Administrator Patty Shaughnessy indicated that HLM was awarded the construction job in December and OMNI will design the initial architecture plans.
Court Administrator Matt Benefiel indicates CompUSA has extended special employee pricing to Ninth Circuit Court personnel. The special package includes Compaq and Digital commercial grade PCs, HP Deskjet color printers and support components. Those interested in purchasing equipment, please contact Court Administration at 836-2050 to obtain prices and a purchasing certificate.
Customize your WordPerfect toolbar by following these steps: 1) Select EDIT from your top menu bar; 2) Left click (LC) PREFERENCES; 3) Double LC tool bar; 4) Highlight WordPerfect 7.0 5) LC EDIT 6) To ADD Functions; select FUNCTION from Main Menu Toolbar with a Left click. 7) To DELETE; drag & drop the icon to the blank document 8) when finished, LC OK on Toolbar Editor, LC Select on Toolbar Preferences, LC CLOSE on Preference Box.
Create document shortcuts on your Windows 95 desktop by: 1) While on desktop, Right Click (RC) the mouse button.; 2) From the menu, select NEW, select SHORTCUT; 3) Select Browse at the create shortcut menu; 4) At the bottom of the same box, select "Files of Type" Down Arrow and select ALL FILES 5) LC My Files and that directory appears 6) LC desired shortcut file and it appears in box 7) LC OPEN, NEXT & FINISH and it should appear in the Desktop. This is a convenient way to access frequently used files.
"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph
your work with excellence"---Anonymous
The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court is in the progress of being the first agency to implement a centralized court reporting system that uses the latest software for computerized digital voice recordings and testimony management. The program is called "For The Record Testimony Management System" from Dictaphone Corporation.
This program uses the latest voice recording technology, converting speech and other audio into a digital format, for nearly instant transcription, immediate listening access and secure archiving. The Electronic Court Reporting unit is currently training on the system in Juvenile Court.
The Ninth Circuit Court is currently implementing a comprehensive state-of-the-art video network connecting the Orange & Osceola Courthouse complexes with jails located in their respective counties.
A PC based graphical computer network connecting all Judges and support staff of the Ninth Circuit will soon be available on a Windows NT Computer Network. It will include the latest court and office applications, shared data files, legal research tools, Internet access and be connected to the State and County networks. Both the Circuit & County Civil Divisions are scheduled to go on-line in February, 1997.
Osceola County has begun its introduction of Manatron's Gavel Integrated Court Information System software application and data base for public safety agencies. By sharing information and resources, the Court can provide greater efficiency and service. The Jury Module went live in September 1996 under the supervision of Court Administration.
NINJA has arrived! The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court now has a page on the World Wide Web to distribute general court information to the public. Future plans include an interactive database to provide the public with the ability to directly input and extract information to & from the Court via the Internet. You can view the site at http://www.ninja.state.fl.us.
The Ninth Circuit Court recently initiated an Evening Dissolution Court designed to assist persons seeking an uncontested divorce without children. Evening Court is held every other Tuesday in the Criminal Courthouse, Courtroom V (250) at 6 p.m. Hearings can be scheduled through the Family Court Intake Unit at 836-6054.
The following is a synopsis of state-wide events concerning the judiciary and Ninth Circuit Court.
The Court will be closed on 3/28/97 for Good Friday and Memorial Day on 5/26/97
The Circuit Court Picnic will be held on May 17, 1997 at Moss Park from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. There will be team sports and activities for all. Costs and additional information will be published in April's edition.
Judges Premis Class at OSCA, Tallahassee, 2/12, 4/16, 6/4, 1997
Judges WordPerfect/Intermediate Class, OSCA, Tallahassee, 2/13-14, 4/17-18, 6/5-6, 1997
Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Civil), The Omni, Jacksonville, 2/28 to 3/1/97
Legislature Convenes 3/4/97
New Judges College: Phase II,
Fl. Judicial College, Tallahassee, 3/20-22, 1997
Judges WordPerfect 6.1 beginner class, OSCA, Tallahassee, 4/14-15 & 6/2-3, 1997
Conference of County Court Judges Spring Meeting, Radisson, Tallahassee, 4/23-25, 1997
Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, Annual Business Meeting, PGA National Resort & Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, 6/15-18, 1997
The Florida Bar Annual Meeting, Walt Disney World Dolphin, Orlando, 6/25-28, 1997
Orange County employees are reminded that Well Works will have a Wellness Festival on 2/25/97 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Main Courthouse in the Grand Jury Room. Enjoy free food samples, a chair massage & information on how to maintain a low-fat diet.
Visit the 7th Annual Orange Co. Wellness Fair, 2/13/97, between 10 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. at the Orange Co. Administration Bldg., 201 S. Rosalind Ave. for numerous health tips and physical evaluations.
Additional information on intramural sport activities, aerobic classes and daily walking can be obtained from Well Works at 836-7646.
The 13th annual memorial service of the Courthouse shooting was held on January 10, 1997. It is held each year to pay tribute to Deputies Arnie Wilkerson and Harry Dalton who were killed and Corrections Officer Mark Parker who was wounded in the line of duty.
The Wilkerson-Dalton-Parker Award was developed to recognize members of the Court Security Section who demonstrate superior initiative, determination and thoughtfulness in the course of their duties.
Since October of 1995, recipients have been: Deputies Dave Lawing, Tom Harrison, Howard Maddox, Mariano Lemus, Glendon Peaden, Bernadette Wallace, Kristin Parker, Mark Donley, Kathryn Loverich, John Holmes, Chester Hawkins and Bill Johnson.
From March - December, 1996, Court Deputies have responded to:
Calls for Service 1473
Physical Arrests 114
Warrant Arrests 98
Injunctions Served 31
Parking Citations 157TOTAL 1873
The following weapons were confiscated:
Edged Weapons 3172
Mace 771
Other 2263TOTAL 6206
The Sound Block is a quarterly publication courtesy of the:
Ninth Judicial Circuit Court
Court Administrator's Office
Orange Co. Civil Court Building,
Suite 1130
37 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, Florida 32801
(407) 836-2050
Edited & Published By:
Charles L. Hydovitz
Deputy Court Administrator
Under the Direction of:
The Hon. Belvin Perry, Jr.
Chief Judge, and
Matt Benefiel,
Court Administrator
