NEWS RELEASE
www.ncsconline.org
Contact:
Lorri Montgomery
The National Center for State Courts
300 Newport Avenue
757.259.1525
lmontgomery@ncsc.dni.us
Santa
Clara County Judge
Named William H. Rehnquist Award Recipient
Williamsburg, VA (Aug.
26, 2004) – Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Leonard Perry
Edwards II has been named recipient of the 2004 William H. Rehnquist
Award for Judicial Excellence by the National Center for State Courts.
One of the most prestigious judicial honors in the country, the
Rehnquist Award is presented annually to a state court judge who
exemplifies the highest level of judicial excellence, integrity,
fairness, and professional ethics. Chief Justice of the United States
William H. Rehnquist will present the award to Judge Edwards at a
ceremony Nov. 18 in the Great Hall of the U.S. Supreme Court in
Washington, D.C.
“Judge Edwards is one
of the most effective and progressive trial judges in America,
especially in the area of juvenile and family courts,” said Mary
Campbell McQueen, president of the National Center. “Judge Edwards
stands out, not only for his numerous achievements, but also for his
leadership style, which has positively influenced courts in California,
the nation, and the world.”
Santa Clara County
Superior Court Presiding Judge Richard Turrone, who nominated Judge
Edwards, describes him as “an extraordinary judge and an innovative
thinker.” During Judge Edwards’ nearly 25 years on the bench, “his
contributions to the judicial branch have been multidimensional – as a
judge, a teacher, a trainer, a writer, an organizer, and a leader,”
Judge Turrone wrote in his nominating letter. “He has had a broad
impact on the judiciary, primarily in juvenile and family courts,
domestic violence prevention and intervention, judicial leadership,
court coordination, and children in courts.”
In Santa Clara County,
Judge Edwards’ efforts resulted in the juvenile dependency court being
designated a national model by the National Council of Juvenile and
Family Court Judges. This court is one of the most visited courts in the
country, with hundreds of legal professions traveling there to observe
and learn the model practices Judge Edwards implemented, such as
dependency court mediation, family group conferencing, direct
calendaring, and court coordination. In 1999, Judge Edwards established
one of the country’s first dependency drug treatment court, which has
been named a Mentor Court by the National Institute of Drug Court
Professionals.
Internationally, Judge
Edwards worked with Rotary International in efforts to provide permanent
homes for street children in Latin America. Most notably, in Brazil he
worked to persuade judges to consider placing homeless children with
families instead of institutions.
Two other California
judges have received the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial
Excellence: Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Ronald M.
George in 2002; and Judge Veronica S. McBeth of Los Angeles Municipal
Court in 1998.
The National Center for
State Courts is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the
administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the
state courts. The National Center, founded in 1971 with the
encouragement of Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger,
provides leadership, research, technology, education, and training to
the state courts. The National Center headquarters are in Williamsburg,
Va., and has offices in Arlington, Va., and Denver, Co.
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