COURTS' MERGING PLAN COMPLETE.Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer Ventura County court officials on Friday capped a nine-year effort to merge the judicial and administrative functions of the Municipal and Superior courts by swearing in a single presiding judge presiding judge n. 1) in both state and federal appeals court, the judge who chairs the panel of three or more judges during hearings and supervises the business of the court. . Calling it a historic occasion, the state's top judge, Chief Justice Ronald M. George Ronald Marc George (born March 11, 1940) is the current and 27th Chief Justice of California, where he heads the Supreme Court of California. He was appointed to his current position by Governor Pete Wilson in May 1996. He has an B.A. from Princeton University, a J.D. , personally administered the oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. to Superior Court Judge Charles W. Campbell Jr., the county's new presiding judge, and to Municipal Court Judge Bruce A. Clark, his assistant. ``Today we celebrate the first time that the Ventura County Superior and Municipal courts have selected and installed a single presiding pre·side intr.v. pre·sid·ed, pre·sid·ing, pre·sides 1. To hold the position of authority; act as chairperson or president. 2. To possess or exercise authority or control. 3. and assistant presiding judge,'' George told an invitation-only audience of about 100 court, county and law enforcement officials. ``This is the culmination of the Ventura courts' steady process toward consolidation,'' he said. Previously, there was a separate presiding and assistant presiding judge for each of the courts. Officials tout Tout To promote a security in order to attract buyers. tout To foster interest in a particular company or security. For example, a broker might tout a security to a client in the hope that the client will purchase the security. consolidation as a way to make the courts more efficient by breaking down barriers so any judge can hear any case. Ventura County, for example, now has a single master calendar for all cases, George said. In addition, having the courts administered by one office instead of two has saved Ventura County an estimated $4 million over the years by eliminating duplication of jobs and services and centralizing cen·tral·ize v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate. 2. accounting, he said. Ventura County's court consolidation started in 1989, when Sheila Gonzalez was named executive officer of the Municipal and Superior courts. Since then, these efforts have often been a model for other California counties, he said. While being sworn in, Campbell twice fumbled the words of the brief oath while saying it in concert with Clark. Afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here , Campbell evoked laughter from the audience by saying his mistake typified the consolidation process: ``In the end we were right together. At the start we were nowhere near.'' The 40-minute ceremony was witnessed by most of the county's 15 Superior Court and 11 Municipal Court judges who sat in the jury box of the wood-paneled Courtroom 22 beneath portraits of past Portraits of Past was an emo band from the San Francisco Bay Area. The genre of music that they helped create is often described as "screamo," though that term was not used at the time the band was active. presiding judges. Among those absent were Superior Court Judge Frederick A. Jones, who presided over the Diana Haun murder trial and is now on leave to get a bone-marrow transplant. Also absent was last year's presiding judge of the Superior Court, Judge Robert C. Bradley, who is in an alcohol rehabilitation program Noun 1. rehabilitation program - a program for restoring someone to good health program, programme - a system of projects or services intended to meet a public need; "he proposed an elaborate program of public works"; "working mothers rely on the day care following two recent drunk-driving arrests. Campbell, who has been the acting presiding judge since Bradley's first arrest on Dec. 6, ordered Bradley relieved of his duties Tuesday. Campbell said Friday that Bradley is on indefinite, paid leave, although he may someday return to the bench. The state Commission on Judicial Performance last week opened an investigation into the judge's drunk-driving arrests. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Charles W. Campbell, left, presiding judge; and Bruce A. Clark, assistant presiding judge, are sworn in by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George. Bob Halvorsen/Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion