Changing Role of Judges in the 21st Century
Judge Do More Than Just Follow the Law
When State Court Judge, Sophia H. Hall, looked back on her three decades on the bench in an article she prepared for the American Bar Associations, "Judges Journal Winter 2009", she reflected on many things the average citizen might be interested to know. The most obvious changes in the court system are visible to all. There are more minorities and women on the bench than ever before. To find it’s way to reflecting access to justice for all, the courts needed to consider it’s own role, Judge Hall suggests in whether:
it treats everyone fairly and respectfully, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender
sexual orientation, religion, age, background and socioeconomic or immigration status.
These ideas are not unique to the courts or even the Constitution. Much of it has been woven into the very fabric of our cultural consciousness and resonates from the words of Dr. Martin Luther King. Rev. King encouraged the country to look not to the color of skin, look instead to the content of character. Yet, the role of the courts has become more complex than adhering to ideals and the letter of the law.
Judge Hall’s article reminds the reader that courts have been given responsibility for resolving social problems like addiction and mental health when those issues arise in matters concerning families and juveniles. "Diversity has caused judges to realize that fairness cannot be assumed".
Fairness to Diverse Peoples
This state court justice contends that while citizens coming before the court hope for fairness from the bench, the public has actually become more skeptical. Add to this mix is the common human quality of believing that they themselves are fair and it is others who are not. Judges, being human, can fall short of that goal just like anyone else. Fairness for all does remain a constant goal.
Multi-Disciplined Collaboration
It has become critically apparent that adjudicating a case before the court is not all that a judge must do in this new millennium. Judges seek assistance from experts, reach out to those who come before them to try and help them, and try to help entire families when possible. In early times, were a judge to make an effort do help, they would be derided as social workers. That was then. This is now.
Police, prosecutors, and domestic violence advocates now partner to try to keep families in tact and get help with new laws. "The successes of collaboration often reveal unexpected solutions to seemingly intractable problems", says Judge Hall. She has served the State of Illinois well and helped others to see what it is the court system can accomplish with dedicated service and new tools.
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