By Deb King, AOC Education Services Division
Arizona Court Manager (ACM)
The Court Leadership Institute of Arizona has been sponsoring an Arizona Court Manager (ACM) program targeted to our judicial branch managers since 2007. This program consists of six Institute for Court Management (ICM) nationally accredited courses covering:
· Purposes and Responsibilities of Courts
· Human Resources Management
· Caseflow Management
· Court Performance Standards (CourTools)
· Managing Technology Projects and Resources
· Managing Court Financial Resources
Additionally ACM program participants complete “AZ Plus” classes covering: Judicial Branch Governance, Jury Management, Probation, Alternative Dispute Resolution/Specialty Courts, Managing Diversity, and other Leadership topics. We currently have over 150 participants and were proud to graduate 59 participants with ICM Certified Court Manager and/or Arizona Court Manager certificates.
How do I apply for this program? Applications are approved through the court department heads and submitted to Education Services Division. Click on the Arizona Court Manager (ACM) program, for access to the ACM brochure, application and frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Arizona Court Executive (ACE) – in development
In the coming year, CLIA will be sponsoring new ICM courses targeted at executive leadership. These six new courses will eventually become part of the Arizona Court Executive (ACE) certificate and will cover:
· Education and Training
· Strategic Planning
· Court Communications
· Leadership
· Essential Components
· High Performance Courts
How do I apply for this program? As these courses are piloted, judicial branch employees in the target audience of: Court Administrators, Presiding Judges, Clerks of the Court, Directors, Chief Probation Officers, and Juvenile Court Center Directors will be emailed invitations to register for each class when scheduled during 2011 and 2012. When this program is completely implemented, other judicial branch employees will be provided the opportunity to apply for admission and upon approval will be added to our target audience distribution list. Employees who have completed the ACM program will be given first opportunity to apply for admission.
Arizona Court Supervisor (ACS) – in development
One of our newest programs is targeted at our emerging and current line supervisors. This program is being created to provide opportunities to complete the training in a blended learning environment consisting of self-paced, instructor-lead online and face-to-face classroom instruction. This approach will help balance the need to minimize out-of-office time and travel, while still providing classroom instruction for those topics where face-to-face interaction is the best delivery method.
Classes for the ACS certificate program will be implemented as developed. The first two ACS classes will be:
· Human Resources Management – What Every Supervisor Should Know (7 hrs COJET, Ethics Accredited)
· The Supervisor’s Role in Effective Caseflow Management (7 hrs COJET)
How do I register for these classes? During the pilot phase we will use an open registration process giving priority to registrants who currently have supervisory or management responsibilities in the courts and probation departments. For more information email: [email protected].
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Did you know Element K has a monthly blog and a newsletter? They post short commentary and insights on the learning and development industry, such as pointers to the best industry resources and the regular feature “Learning and Development Roundup” which discusses key resources and opinions from the past four to six weeks. Take a peek at a few of their recent postings at Element K Blog and explore their most recent newsletter for additional articles of relevance to the Learning and Development field.
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By Jeff Schrade, ESD Division Director
At various points over the last eight months, I’ve compared the COJET code change process to dental work… not without its pain, but necessary to maintain health, and to have a great smile (after it’s all done).
The COJET committee was created in 1983, and for nearly 25 years, the regulatory framework for judicial education was developed through a string of Administrative Orders. In 2007, the accumulated regulations for judicial education were consolidated into the Arizona Code for Judicial Administration. Today, ACJA sections 1-108 and 1-302 govern education policy for the Arizona judicial branch. As training coordinators, you’ve probably glanced at one or two of the 32 pages of this code in your tenure.
You may have also noticed they tend to be wordy and difficult to follow in some places. We’ve noticed that too. So, the Education Services Division staff set out to simplify the COJET code, making it more accessible to read while also streamlining the practices required by code.
Intent on simplifying, we’ve taken several steps to make sure we don’t "throw the baby out with the bath water", or create new problems for training coordinators through our good intentions. The COJET code changes have been reviewed and approved by all standing committees of COJET (Judicial College of Arizona, Committee in Probation Education, Court Leadership Institute of Arizona and Joint Staff Education Committee – all in §1-108), and the COJET committee itself. We also held two sessions for training coordinators in December that produced some great additional recommendations.
But, if you’re hearing about the COJET code changes for the first time, there’s still time to review the changes and add your two cents. The COJET code changes are now before several Arizona Judicial Council committees for feedback, and are planned to go before the Arizona Judicial Council for final approval at their March 24th meeting. All of these meetings are open to the public (agendas and dates are at AzCourts.gov). In addition, anyone may comment on the proposed COJET changes via the online ACJA code forum.
We’ve taken great care to involve many diverse people and groups to ensure we’re implementing only the best of the proposed changes, and I encourage you to take a look so your smile will be wider when the code changes take effect.
As always, I’m available at the easiest number in the AOC (602) 452-3000 to answer any questions you have. I’d also love to hear from you by email at [email protected].
We’ll send another COJET code change update, and make updated model forms available, in April 2011.
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Gabe Goltz, AOC Judicial College Unit
The Judicial College of Arizona (JCA) has had an “up” and “down” December with regards to team members. On the “down” side, JCA is sad to announce that much-valued team member Krista Chapman has left her position in JCA to return to her professional passion—the field of probation. Krista accepted a position with the Adult Probation Services Division of the AOC and will be focusing on a variety of statewide probation initiatives, including Project SAFE and evidence-based practices. Krista has played an instrumental role in many of JCA’s key successes and she will be missed, however we wish Krista luck and know the probation world will benefit from Krista’s dedication and expertise.
On the “up” side, the team was pleased to welcome Kristin Moyé Pruszynski to the team. Kristin comes to us having most recently served as a librarian at Phoenix School of Law. She holds both a J.D. and an LL.M. Initially, Kristin will be focusing on the “Arizona Law for Admission on Motion” course, capital case litigation training, work on the benchbooks in 2012 and beyond, and a host of technology-related training initiatives. You can reach Kristin at [email protected] . Welcome aboard, Kristin!
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By Laura Beeson-Davis, Chair
Southern Arizona’s Joint Council on Court Education (JCCE), training coordinator networking committee, worked on educational goals for 2010. JCCE’s focus was to uncover educational requirements for multiple counties and court divisions. The committee expects these goals to synonymously roll into 2011 following the quarterly meeting held on January 21, 2011.
Our primary 2010 annual targeted goal and mission was:
“To uncover educational needs in our courts and overcome the challenges to meet those needs by developing and implementing multiple resource strategies.”
Committee members organized into task groups to develop and manage various strategies. The task groups and their goals are:
1) Marketing Resources
a. Research and recommend generic survey tools for uncovering needs
b. Research and present method to market resources statewide
2) Online Resources
a. Research and recommend purchase of e-learning authoring content tool
b. Develop CENTRA “Ethics” training module
c. Develop JCCE website
d. Partner with AOC on New Employee Orientation and Core program trainings
3) External Resources
a. Compile directories of Classes, Instructors, and Subjects
b. Contact outside agencies on Class availabilities for court personnel
4) Internal Resources
a. Compile statewide list of instructors
b. Compile statewide list of lesson plans
In 2011, JCCE will organize and sponsor a Judicial Staff Conference on June 22, 23, and 24, which will be held during the statewide judges’ conference. More details will become available as the planning progresses. JCCE’s current active membership encompasses employees from many courts and divisions within multiple counties: Pima, Cochise, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Gila, Graham and Greenlee. We also have associations with Yuma and La Paz members. Our committee continues to maintain a strong working relationship with its northern counterpart NACE.
Due to these efforts, JCCE is becoming more successful in offering and sustaining strategies to meet the ever-changing educational needs in its current and varied training environments. Without active membership, this would not be possible. As the chair, I begin the year by thanking each member for their contributions and willingness to help move JCCE into a functioning educational resource for courts across the state.
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By Janet Cornell, Scottsdale City Court
Due to budget concerns in recent years, courts have been finding innovate ways to make time for meetings and training without increasing their costs. The following article from Ms. Janet Cornell, Court Administrator in the Scottsdale City Court highlights one idea that had very positive results:
The Scottsdale City Court has adopted the practice of ‘closing the court’ (that is delaying the court opening) two days a month and opening the court at 8:30am (instead of the traditional open time of 8:00am). Court management adopted this process in September 2009, after a staff suggestion. Prior to the September implementation date, when court leadership convened staff meetings, they were set for early morning, e.g., 7:00am, so that all staff could attend. Staff were usually paid overtime to attend, and the court would open at 8:00 am for customers. The assumption was that most staff had to be on duty at the court opening time, and all staff were considered front line. When the court made choices to cut funding in the area of overtime pay, consideration of how to hold staff meetings without overtime pay came into play.
Court management vetted the idea with judges and court staff, the local law enforcement and prosecutor to determine any negative impacts. The court issued a press release and informed the City Council and City leaders of the hours change in support of containing overtime costs, and to provide for important training time. Finally the court posted information in the court lobby, at entry doors, and on the court web page about the hours change.
Since September 19, 2009, the court has opened at 8:30am on the first and third Wednesday of each month. On the late opening Wednesdays, staff arrive as early as 7:30am or more likely 8:00am, and the meeting convenes until 8:25 am or 8:30 am. The first Wednesday has been dedicated to court team (operational areas) meetings / briefings / or focused training on operations or technology utilization. The third Wednesday is dedicated to all staff meetings, convened by the court administrator, where court policy, budget and emerging issues are briefed, as well as training provided. Staff who arrive for meetings as early as 7:30am are encouraged to ‘flex’ out their time (take equivalent time off) during the pay-period to avoid any overtime; staff who work alternative schedules and would be on site anyway do not receive any additional pay. In rare instances overtime has been used, but the total cost has been minimized.
Results to date have included the following: staff satisfaction in avoiding early morning meeting start times; over 2,400 customers affected, with little or no complaints; and time available for team or court-wide meetings without extra cost and with as many as possible in attendance. Court security staff and senior management track exactly how many customers are affected, enter at those late times, and how long it takes to process the incoming customers. So far the program has benefited both the court and the need for training time, while limiting the inconvenience to the customers.
For questions about the program, contact Janet G. Cornell, Court Administrator, at 480-312-2775 or [email protected].
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Northern Region Training Coordinators: Northern Arizona Committee on Education (NACE)
By Dyhanna Anderson, NACE Chair
NACE Training Coordinators found with the rollout of the new case management system AJACS for our superior courts and the continued budgetary hiring freezes affecting all the courts, the staff have been impacted in many ways in 2010. We asked our staff to do more with less, work harder with fewer numbers, and take part in the implementation of a whole new system which promises to be more efficient and valuable for accounting and reporting, but it is not quite there yet. AOC and court staff are working together to ensure the new system will meet the needs of the courts.
The challenges facing our courts in 2010 impacted our staff in participating in COJET training. Even though we received the administrative order maintaining the reduced required minimum hours for judicial staff at 8 hours again this year, many of the training coordinators were faced with court staff unable to participate in the regional & local conferences, webcasts, and distance learning opportunities offered throughout the year due to the reality of added workloads and need for coverage. We can expect this to continue in 2011.
The number of staff still needing to obtain the minimum hours in November/December in 2010 was higher than ever before. Having just 8 hours to complete, almost made it too easy to put off until it was almost too late. All the training coordinators who stepped forward and offered additional training opportunities on a local level to meet the demand at the end of 2010, in order to ensure each county’s compliance, should be commended. In 2011, we will all have to strive to work harder to continue offering as many training opportunities as possible. If ever there was a good group for networking and sharing of ideas and programs, it is our training coordinators and the staff at JSEC. Thank you.
NACE decided to call this phase of our committee our “germinating” stage – Committee members are still eager to participate in a group project, but we need time to grow. NACE is continuing to share training ideas and programs while focusing on offering as many local training opportunities as needed for our courts and probation staff. Mohave County hosted a conference in February and
Yavapai County is hosting a conference April 7-8, 2011(Verde) and
June 22-24, 2011(Prescott). There may be more local conferences by other northern Arizona counties, so be on the lookout for those announcements. If you would like to join us, please contact Dyh Anderson at
[email protected] or by telephone (928) 771-3510.
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For Non Judicial Officer Employees:
In response to the State of Arizona financial crisis,
Administrative Order 2010-109 took effect on January 1, 2011, continuing the reduction in COJET requirements for all court personnel who are not judicial officers, through the calendar year 2011. Note that the core curricula requirements have also been suspended for 2011, however the 30-minute ethics training requirement remains for all judicial branch employees.
For Judicial Officer Employees:
The COJET requirement for all Judicial Officers remains 16 COJET hours, including ethics in 2011. Please remind your judges that Administrative Order 2009-117,
Temporary Increase of the Maximum Number of Hours Granted to Judicial Officers for Independent Learning, expired on December 31, 2010. The maximum independent learning hours required has reverted back to 8 hours per calendar year, effective January 1, 2011, per ACJA 1-302.E.6. In addition to JCA trainings advertised this year, the Wendell site will continue to offer judges online learning tools for COJET credit. If you have questions, feel free to contact the Education Services Division at (602) 452-3060.
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September 1, 2010 – The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has launched the Arizona Courts Facebook page and Twitter feed to complement its ongoing public education and outreach efforts about the judicial branch of government and access to justice.
Those who “like” the Facebook Page, “Arizona Supreme Court” and follow “AzCourts” on Twitter will receive updates on topics, including the announcement of Supreme Court opinions, news releases, and updates on new content and resources posted to the Arizona Judicial Branch website, www.azcourts.gov.
“The judicial branch is committed to access to justice and government transparency serves that commitment,” said Dave Byers, Administrative Director of the Courts. “These tools enable us to provide information in the formats the public expects and relies on. They complement work we are already undertaking with technology and online services. The AOC’s adoption of these new Web tools will expand the public’s access to news, knowledge sharing tools, and educational resources about the Arizona judicial branch, and enable users to choose how they receive information about the third branch of government.”
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