IACA’s Global Conversation Podcast: Summer 2021 Episode

Brought to You In Cooperation with the International Association for Court Administration

Measuring judicial performance is a burning topic in many countries around the globe.  How to balance the need for timely case resolution with the necessity for just results is a question many court experts have often pondered.  Today, our panel of international court professionals will discuss the implications of measuring judicial performance.  This episode delves into a number of questions surrounding measuring judicial performance:

  • How do you use the performance measures?
  • Who gets to see the data?
  • What effects does automating judicial performance measurement have?
  • Do you tie judicial performance to an overall strategic plan?
  • What advice do these court professionals have for the rest of us?

Watch the  Summer 2021 Global Conversation Podcast Episode 39 Minutes 23 Seconds

Listen to the Summer 2021 Global Conversation Podcast Episode 38 Minutes 7 Seconds

Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org

Today’s Panelists

Justice Angeline Rutazana was the President of the East African Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association from November 2017 to October 2019; President of Rwanda Judges’ and Registrars’ Association from 2012 to 2017, Council Member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges’ Association in charge of gender issues in the Southern, Central, Eastern Region from 2012 to 2015 and a Member of the Technical Working Group on the Commonwealth Bench Book on violence against women in East Africa in 2016.

Justice Rutazana holds an LLM from the University of Ottawa, Canada and an LLB from the University of Rwanda. She was awarded professional certificates in various fields including International and Transnational crimes (Mwanza, Tanzania, August 2015), Improvement of Judicial Fairness and Efficient Judicial Administration (Seoul, June 2014), Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (Nyanza, Rwanda, July 2014), Judicial Education (Nova Scotia, Canada, June 2011), Leadership in Court Governance (Singapore Judicial College, October 2020), etc. She was also trained in specialized courses such as Common Law, Extradition, Terrorism, Economic Crimes, etc.

Dr. Aseel Zimmo is an advisor to the Bahraini Chief Justice and Minister of Justice. She taught civil and commercial law at the University of Bahrain and the Royal University for Women. Among her areas of responsibilities, Dr. Zimmo advises the Chief Justice and Minister of Justice on judicial reform specifically judicial performance indicators and the design of the performances’ dashboard. She also leads the transformation of Bahraini Courts into a completely automated system with paperless courts and works on improving the speed and efficiency of the courts. She graduated with PhD from the LSE and with LLM from Kings College, London. She is also a qualified lawyer in New York and Jordan.

Mrs. Niceson Karungi is an E-Justice Expert at Synergy International Systems Inc. where she supports the automation of case processes in Judiciaries throughout Africa. She analyzes Judiciary IT needs, facilitates the development of judicial systems, conducts trainings, and provides change management services. Niceson holds a master’s degree in Software development from the University of Glasgow, UK. She worked for the Judiciary of Rwanda for more than 8 years and facilitated implementation of the Rwandan Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) used across all justice sector institutions, and the “Sobanuzainkiko” system which facilitates public access to court services online. She is currently working on the Judicial Performance Monitoring System to track real-time court and staff performance against set targets.

Tom Bruton was appointed Clerk of Court for the Northern District of Illinois on January 1, 2012.  The Northern District of Illinois is headquartered in Chicago and is the third largest federal court in the country with its 22 district judgeships, 10 senior district judges and 14 magistrate judges.  The Clerk’s Office consists of over 150 staff members, 27 court reporters and two staff interpreters. 

Tom began his career in the Federal Courts in 2004 as the Property and Procurement Administrator for the Northern District of Illinois.  From 2004 through 2011, he oversaw the Budget, Space & Facilities and the Procurement Department for the Court.

Tom has been a member of the Federal Court Clerk’s Association (FCCA) since 2005 and has been a member of the FCCA Board of Directors since 2009.  In 2012, Tom was elected to serve as President-Elect of the FCCA.  In August 2015, Tom was sworn in as President of the FCCA for a two year term. 

In 2018, Tom was appointed as the Vice President for Associations of the International Association for Court Administration (IACA).  In this position, Tom serves as a member of the Executive Board and has the primary responsibility for identifying, connecting with and maintaining relationships with other associations and bodies connected, directly or indirectly, with justice and courts.

Tom graduated from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota with honors in 1999, majoring in Criminal Justice and Political Science.  In 2014, Tom graduated from the Michigan State University Judicial Administration Program after submitting a capstone paper entitled, “Establishing a Succession Planning Program in a Federal Court Clerk’s Office.” Tom has presented this program at conferences and meetings.  Tom has been on several hiring panels for court executives and has worked on court executive compensation issues.

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