Marshall Democrat-News: Local News: 15th Circuit Court to be honored (11/06/09)

Presiding Judge Dennis A. Rolf is scheduled to receive, on behalf of the 15th Judicial Circuit, the Daniel O'Toole Award and the Permanency Award to be presented by Supreme Court judges Zel Fischer and Mary Russell during a special ceremony at noon Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Saline County Courthouse in Marshall.

This is the first time the 15th Circuit, which includes Lafayette and Saline counties, has won the two awards.

The O'Toole Award is given to circuit courts for efficiently managing and processing cases during fiscal 2009. The award is named for the late Judge Daniel O'Toole, who served as the first chair of the time standards monitoring committee, and recognizes the success of the circuits in handling cases ina timely manner.

To qualify, a circuit must achieve at least five of the 10 case processing time standards and must not be more than 5 percent from achieving the remaining standards. The 15th circuit is one of 13 judicial circuits that will receive the O'Toole Award for fiscal 2009.

The Permanency Award is given to circuits for successfully holding timely hearings in child abuse and neglect cases during fiscal 2009 in which children removed from their homes are to be reunited with their families or are to be placed in another permanent home as soon as possible. The 15th circuit is one of 23 judicial circuits that will receive the award this year.

I will be there in spirit on November 10th; congratulations Judge Rolf. Without your initial support, there would be no Court Appointed Special Advocates in the 15th Judicial Circuit advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. Keep doing what you do best; considering each case on an individual basis.

Becky

-- Posted by ADVOCATE on Mon, Nov 9, 2009, at 10:01 PM

I might, I just finished my law degree. Thank You for the compliment!

-- Posted by Gumby on Sat, Nov 7, 2009, at 11:39 PM

Gumby You really should run for judge next election,after all you do know every thing it seems.

-- Posted by golfaddic on Sat, Nov 7, 2009, at 9:36 PM

The Daniel O'Toole Award, I guess if everything going through the court is plea bargained out the door, then yip it processes cases pretty fast!

The Judge should be ashamed to accept it!

-- Posted by Gumby on Sat, Nov 7, 2009, at 3:56 AM

It does my heart good to know that we are doing such a fine job ensuring permanency in forever families for kids! Yea for Children's Division, Yea for CASA (original and all along the way), Yea Juvenile Office, Yea Prosecutor, Yea Judge Rolf; Yea foster/adoptive families and above all Yea kids!!!

Now if we could just do something about our childhood death rate and poor Kids Count issues.

-- Posted by mama11 on Fri, Nov 6, 2009, at 7:21 PM