National CASA/GAL Seeking Nominations for Active and Retired Judicial Officers to Serve on Its Judicial Leadership Council
National CASA/GAL is currently seeking nominations for active and retired judicial officers to serve on the Judicial Leadership Council. The purpose of the Judicial Leadership Council is to:
- Strengthen and develop ongoing relationships between judicial officers and National CASA/GAL, state, and local Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/volunteer Guardian ad Litem (GAL) programs;
- Provide input and recommendations to National CASA/GAL on ways to engage the judiciary on a continuing basis regarding the establishment, development, improvement, maintenance, and expansion of CASA/GAL programs;
- Bring the judicial officers’ voice to National CASA/GAL’s work on developing a network-wide growth process and strategy.
The Judicial Leadership Council is comprised of up to 15 judicial officers representing jurisdictions from multiple states, court structures, tribal courts, and rural, suburban, and urban communities, with varying tenure, experience and skills. Term of membership are for two, or three-year staggered terms. Members can be reappointed.
Judicial officers include active and retired judges, presiding judges, appellate judges, commissioners, referees, or otherwise designated judicial officials exercising or having exercised jurisdiction over abused and neglected children in any court.
The Judicial Leadership Council was formed three years ago. In the past three years, the council has, for example:
- Provided subject matter and court administration expertise on a variety of issues relating to the improvement of judicial oversight of cases involving children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect, including discussions on the impact of COVID-19 on court operations and CASA/GAL Programs
- Provided input on proposed changes to the Local CASA/GAL Program Standards
- Served as faculty at annual National CASA/GAL conferences
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Provided expertise on updating and revising National CASA/GAL’s Judges’ Guide to CASA/GAL Program Development
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Provided input on The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program: Judicial Perspectives Survey and the Path to Evidence (Chapin Hall, the University of Chicago: Chicago, IL. 2020)
- Served as National CASA/GAL’s advisory committee on the David Soukup Judge of the Year Award
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Provided input on the New Toolkits for State Organizations and Local CASA/GAL Programs: Informational/Orientation Packet for Judges
We encourage local programs and state organizations to nominate judges with the judge’s permission. Judges can also self-nominate. Here are the links to the nomination forms:
Thank you very much for your time and consideration. We look forward to receiving nominations. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Diane Nunn J.D., Judicial Liaison, at [email protected] or (206) 774-7283.
Please submit the nomination forms by Friday, February 26, 2021.
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