NEWS RELEASE

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Seven 1998 Director's Awards for Outstanding Leadership were recently awarded to federal court employees who have made long-term contributions to the increased effectiveness of the federal Judiciary. The awards are given annually by Leonidas Ralph Mecham, Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO).

The recipients of the 1998 Director's Awards are James D. Baer, substance abuse coordinator for the U.S. Probation Office, U. S. District Court for the Central District of California; Lloyd C. Ray Jr., clerk of court for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee; Kenneth Russo, data network administrator for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; Mary Schwappach, project manager for the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota; Jack Wagner, clerk of court for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California; and Bruce Rifkin, clerk of court for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. A special Director's Award for Outstanding Leadership was given to James Manspeaker, clerk of court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, in recognition of his leadership and professionalism during two recent high-profile trials.

James D. Baer, substance abuse coordinator for the U.S. Probation Office, U. S. District Court for the Central District of California, was honored as a leader in facilitating the development and improvement of drug detection techniques, which can provide more accurate information about the nature and intensity of substance abuse. He helpded introduce to the criminal justice system three of the most significant developments in substance abuse monitoring in the last 20 years: hair analysis, sweat analysis, and non-instrumented on-site testing. Writing in support of Baer's nomination, Robert Latta, Chief Probation Officer, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, noted, "Baer's contributions to improving the way substance abuse treatment is provided have enabled officers to more effectively ascertain if an offender is abstaining from or using prohibited substances. Officers are able to more quickly initiate intervention strategies and thereby decrease relapse and recidivism."

Lloyd C. Ray Jr., clerk of court for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, was honored for his efforts to improve efficiency and technological proficiency in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Ray established a highly successful computer information system, proficient case management procedures, and staff training practices. His design skills enabled the court to operate one of the first Chapter 13 trustee computers in a courtroom, resolving hundreds of consumer cases on a single docket. By creating a computer program that added an 11 digit zip code, Ray was able to negotiate a reduced postage rate that saved the district approximately $40,000 annually. He was on the forefront of designing and implementing a public access system with the local bar association to allow attorneys direct computer access to the court's data in real time.

According to Bankruptcy Judge George C. Paine, II (M.D. Tenn.), "The bottom line is that under Mr. Ray's leadership and direction, this court has maintained its pace with the rapidly changing technology as one of the most innovative, cutting edge systems in the Judiciary today."

Kenneth Russo, data network administrator for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, was honored for his commitment to improving the technological resources of the courts. Chief Judge Henry A. Politz (5^th Cir.) said, "Over the past eight years, Mr. Russo has produced consistently innovative computer software and connectivity programs for the court family, both locally and nationally. . . Mr. Russo's ideas, concepts, and successes with state of the art computer architecture have courts throughout the Judiciary seeing his assistance and expertise on a daily basis." Russo was instrumental in pioneering the effort to obtain a domain for the Judiciary on the Internet, which eliminated the need to subscribe to costly internet service providers and resulted in substantial savings. He also took the lead in creating a web site with a news server and cc:Mail to Internet e-mail; as well as in designing effective computer security for the Fifth Circuit.

Mary Schwappach, project manager for the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, was honored for her efforts in coordinating the move of the federal courts' divisional offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota into a new U.S. courthouse. The move entailed relocating approximately 250 judges and court staff, and more than 4,000 pieces of new, used, and refurbished furniture and equipment over a period of six weeks. The move was accomplished without interruption of services to the public and without compromising the court's security. Both Chief Judge Paul A. Magnuson (D. Minn.) and Clerk of Court Francis E. Dosal praised the move as "virtually problem-free." In addition, Schwappach's plan for furniture acquisition saved the court approximately $40,000. The plan, which has since been adopted as a model by the Administrative Office for other courts, facilitates the equitable distribution of court funds for furniture purchases associated with new courthouse construction projects.

Jack Wagner, clerk of court for the District Court for the Eastern District of California, and Bruce Rifkin, clerk of court for the District Court for the Western District of Washington, are co-recipients of a 1998 Director's award for Outstanding Leadership. Wagner and Rifkin were honored for their partnership in creating a national training program that shows courts how to be more effective partners in construction projects while reducing cost overruns through a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Judge Robert E. Cole (E.D. Calif.) noted the advancements that Wagner and Rifkin's program inspired. He wrote, "The end result will be better projects, preservation of the presence of the court and its architecture in the communities we serve, and a better presentation to the courts, at the early stages, methods of savings and unique ideas that might otherwise be lost."

James R. Manspeaker, clerk of court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, won a special 1998 Director's Award for Outstanding Leadership for his guidance and professionalism during the Oklahoma City bombing case trials, U.S. v. Timothy James McVeigh and Terry Lynn Nichols, both held in Denver. Manspeaker is recognized for his efforts in addressing the special needs of these two trials. He assumed responsibility for all coordination among federal, state, and local entities, as well as for counsel and the media. He also coordinated staffing, records management, and trial logistics, while spearheading the reconfiguration of the trial courtroom and the auxiliary courtroom, and the electronic transmission of the trials to Oklahoma City.

Chief Judge Richard P. Matsch (D. Colo.) commended Manspeaker for his entire court career, but specifically his role in the McVeigh and Nichols trials. Matsch wrote, "At the outset, he recognized the special needs of these cases and developed effective plans for all of the phases. . . Moreover, he personally managed all of these functions each and every day. His good judgment, calm manner and quick thinking resolved many crises which could have disrupted and possibly destroyed these trials. These efforts were above and beyond what is required of him in his position as clerk of this court. They reflect a commitment to this country's system of justice that is best described as noble and a performance that is nothing less than heroic."

Nominees for the Outstanding Leadership Award are judged on the basis of their outstanding sustained contributions to increase program effectiveness and/or reduce costs in administration. All current and former employees except judges of the federal courts are eligible for the award.

Created by Congress in 1939, the AO, under the direction and supervision of the Judicial Conference of the United States, serves and supports the federal Judiciary. The AO staff provides legal services, policy advice, and administrative and program assistance; monitors legislation that affects federal court operations and personnel; and recommends plans and strategies to manage court business efficiently. Among the support services the AO provides are the procurement of supplies and equipment, the administration of personnel, budget, and financial control services; and the compilation and publication of statistics on the volume and distribution of court business.