The Forney Independent School District in Forney, Texas, opened a new elementary school named in honor of alumnus Judge DON WILLETT of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Don R. Willett Elementary School will serve up to 900 students from pre-K to fourth grade. The school’s cafeteria was named in honor of Judge Willett’s late mother, Doris. Read more »
Judge KAREN WELLS ROBY, U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, received the Wayne Lee Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession from Tulane Law School. Judge Roby was recognized for her leadership in the judiciary and community, including pivotal roles in the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, the American Bar Association, and Tulane Law School. In addition, she worked with an alumni group to save her high school — a historically Black female Catholic high school in New Orleans — from closing. Read more »
Chief Justice of the United States JOHN G. ROBERTS JR. received the Henry J. Friendly Medal from the American Law Institute (ALI) in recognition of his “many contributions in the tradition of Judge Friendly and the Institute.” Justice Roberts clerked for Judge Friendly from 1979 to 1980 and has awarded the Friendly medal to others, including Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony M. Kennedy. Justice ELENA KAGAN presented the medal during the ALI’s annual dinner in May. Read more »
The State Bar of Wisconsin recognized three judges for extraordinary contributions to the practice of law and community service. Judge RAMONA GONZALEZ of the La Crosse County Circuit Court received the Lifetime Jurist Award in recognition of 27 years of exemplary service on the bench. Chief Judge CARL ASHLEY of Wisconsin’s First Judicial District received the Diversity and Inclusion Trailblazer Award for leading development of a comprehensive action plan for diversity in the Wisconsin legal profession. Judge RICHARD RADCLIFFE of the Monroe County Circuit Court received the Judge of the Year Award for his implementation of Monroe County’s drug treatment court program. Read more »
Judge AUGUSTUS D. AIKENS JR. of Florida’s Leon County Court received a lifetime achievement award from the Tallahassee Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation. And, by unanimous vote of the Leon County Commission, the Leon County Courthouse will be renamed for Judge Aikens when he retires in 2024. Read more »
Judge NANCY L. ALLF of the Eighth Judicial District of Nevada received the Clark County Law Foundation’s Liberty Bell award. Judge Allf has served as president of the Clark County Bar Association, of the board of directors of the Clark County Law Foundation, and of the State Bar of Nevada. Read more »
The National Judicial College presented Judge ROSEMARY BARKETT with the Making the World a More Just Place Award. Judge Barkett became the first woman justice and first woman chief justice on the Florida Supreme Court. She served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit from 1994 to 2013 and now sits on the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Read more »
We print select judicial honors, space permitting, and lists of active judges celebrating milestone anniversaries of the date of their commission. Send your submissions to judicature@law.duke.edu; high-resolution (300 dpi) photos are welcome.
