The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) inaugural Justice Innovation Celebration at the 78th annual conference, Rethink, Reimagine and Redefine Justice for Children and Families was held on Tuesday, July 28 in Austin, Texas.
Many community leaders from Austin attended the gala including Austin mayor, Steve Adler and first lady, Diane Land, NCJFCJ honorary celebration chairs and other prominent Austin community leaders were in attendance.
“It is my good fortune to be the CEO of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges at a time when Judge Byrne will lead the organization as our president,” said Mari Kay Bickett, CEO. “It’s not that often one has the opportunity to work with a very special and unique person who inspires you every time you interact.”
Judge Darlene Byrne of the Travis County 126th Judicial District Court was sworn in as the NCJFCJ 2015-2016 board of director’s president.
“The Justice Innovation Celebration was an opportunity to bring community leaders together to raise awareness of the many issues that the NCJFCJ works on to improve the lives of the families and children who seek justice,” said Judge Darlene Byrne, NCJFCJ president.
The NCJFCJ announced the honorees of the inaugural NCJFCJ Justice Innovation Awards recognizing the national Innovator of the Year and the State of Texas Impact of the Year recipients: The Honorable Lori A. Dumas, Philadelphia family court judge honored for her significant work for child sex trafficking victims, and The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), a nonprofit, worldwide organization focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation and transition based in Harker Heights, Texas.
The Justice Innovation Awards honored two NCJFCJ members who innovatively rethinks, reimagines, and redefines justice for children and families, thus advancing the NCJFCJ’s vision – a society in which every family and child has access to fair, equal and timely justice.
The dynamic 78th annual conference hosted more than 450 judges and related professionals in juvenile and family law from across the country in an inspiring, informative consortium covering topics like domestic child sex trafficking, child abuse and neglect, trauma, custody and visitation, judicial leadership, family violence and more. Texas Supreme Court Justice, Eva Guzman; Texas Supreme Court, Justice Debra Lehrmann; and more than 150 Texas judges and juvenile and family law professionals were in attendance. For more information, please visit: http://www.ncjfcj.org/celebration.
About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nev.-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, is the nation’s oldest judicial membership organization and focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation’s juvenile and family courts. A leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the field of juvenile and family justice, the 2,000-member organization is unique in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide.
