Page 26 - Mar2019_BarJournal

BarJournal COLuMN

J UdgES COrnEr
JULY/AUGUST 2015

THE faCE Of THE COUrT

Hon . John J . Russo

emember when you were has allowed me to provide a forum for positive years, the Court has hired more than 200 new
in school and the five years change in the Court. One of my goals was to employees. That alone creates huge change.
th
between 8 grade and high build a better sense of camaraderie among New staff members have much to contribute
school graduation took forever? the more than 500 employees of the General through their educational experience,
R It seems that the older we get, Division. There are so many departments in the enthusiasm and creative thinking. When
the faster the years go by. (I know, you’ve heard Court, each having a crucial role in our success. these new employees arrive in departments,
this before.) I recently wrapped up my fifth Many of these departments work somewhat next to other employees who have worked for
year as Administrative and Presiding Judge of independently, and can therefore operate as the Court for many years, the combination of
the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas their own islands in the Court — not a recipe passion and existing institutional knowledge
General Division. These years went by quickly. for developing a spirit of togetherness. I have creates a truly exciting environment. I make
As Administrative Judge I have tried to focus tried to make every single person feel that her sure to spend a few minutes one-on-one
on the individual, from our employees and or his contribution is equal to the work of every with each new employee to welcome them to
judges, to the people we serve in our courtrooms other employee. No single role is greater, or less, the team and to hear their expectations for
every day. The Administrative Judge position than another’s is. This greater cohesiveness has both their own career growth and the Court.
allowed for a sharing of diverse thoughts and Doing so gives me a better perspective as an
ideas that has been no less than inspiring. administrator and it is important to put faces
to names.
Each January, I schedule meetings with
Save every department in the Court. We spend Nine of our 34 judges have started their
The face of our Bench has also changed.
about half an hour together and I challenge
them with an idea or theme for the year
terms, or appointments, since I became
the ahead. This was the fourth year we had such a Administrative Judge. That is more than a
date! and we talked about who we serve as a Court. veteran leadership from our longer-serving
“theme.” For 2016, it was “Servant Leadership”,
quarter of our judges. The combination of
We were “All-In” with the Cavaliers in 2017
judges and the addition of new colleagues
following their championship. I promoted
now female. Looking at photos of the Bench
“Action Leadership/Leadership in Action” is exciting. More than half of our judges are
in 2018, encouraging our employees take from the 70’s and 80’s, you can see a true
leading roles in and out of the Court. This growth in diversity since then.
year I talked about seeking “Balance” in Another trend for our Court, and courts
2019 our lives. Knowing we can never achieve around the country, has been the emphasis
golf Outing a perfect balance between our work and on specialty dockets. We have Drug Courts, a
personal lives, I shared with them what I
Recovery Court, Veterans Treatment Court,
have learned after reading several books MHDD (Mental Health and Developmental
June 24 th on the subject. I encouraged everyone to Disabilities) Court, and Re-Entry Court.
These specialty dockets provide a therapeutic
look at every moment of every day. Live in
those moments, and balance will find you. approach and appropriate treatment that a
Shaker heights I also asked that they not keep their lives in traditional docket does not always allow. The
Country Club neutral. Put your transmission into drive and focus is on creating change in the individual
see where the road of life takes you.
— not just to reduce their own risk to
When we start talking about people, recidivate, but to provide opportunities for
it is impossible to ignore how, in every growth and a positive and productive future.
large organization, retirements and new On the civil side, we also have a Commercial
opportunities create turnover. In my five Docket and an Asbestos Docket.
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