Zygmont A. Pines, court administrator of Pennsylvania, has been named the recipient of the 2010 Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

The highest award for court management presented by the National Center, the Burger Award is named for the former chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who helped found the NCSC in 1971. The award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the improvement of state or local court operations and whose work has application to courts nationwide.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille said, “Zygmont Pines recognizes that courts do not succeed without a commitment to principles of integrity and service. His national leadership in the areas of security and preparedness evolved from his work in Pennsylvania. During his tenure as state court administrator, Pennsylvania’s court system has been a leader in introducing numerous cost-effective solutions to problems facing the Commonwealth’s 67 trial courts and more than 500 district courts.”

Planning for the security initiatives in Pennsylvania’s court system was based on statewide facility assessments undertaken in collaboration with the county commissioners, sheriffs, and other court users. It included a statewide, automated security incident reporting system, installation of duress alarms and video surveillance technologies, metal detectors and xray equipment and a best-practices court security manual to guide county court.

Perhaps the most significant security measure is the installation of more than 300 video conferencing units in courts, which not only strengthens court security, but has the potential to save counties millions of dollars in prisoner transportation costs. A study by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency estimates annual savings of $25,000 on average per video conference site.

Although the award is given to an individual, this year’s recipient, Court Administrator of Pennsylvania, Zygmont Pines said, “The honor is fundamentally a recognition of the consistently excellent work done by the Pennsylvania judiciary as a whole. Our outstanding achievements reflect the collaborative efforts of our justices, judges and judicial employees.

“For example, Pennsylvania has the most sophisticated judicial computer system in the country, which enables us to provide continually greater access and accountability to the public,” Pines added. “We also have created problem-solving courts, programs to help abused and neglected children and to provide court interpreters, enhanced judicial education and recently established a model code of conduct for all court employees.”

To date, Pennsylvania has created nearly 80 problem-solving courts, such as veterans and drug courts. One national Drug Court Institute survey has indicated that for every dollar invested in Family Dependency Treatment Court, there was a $4.74 cost savings or offset in child and adult costs to the criminal justice system and community.

The judiciary also has led efforts to reduce the number of children in foster care in Pennsylvania, saving counties and the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Additional efforts to improve court processes and cut costs include:

• the implementation of technology and automation to improve court collections and payment processing. Despite an economic downturn and fewer case filings, court collections and disbursements have increased. In 2009, $461 million was disbursed by magisterial district courts and Common Pleas criminal courts to the Commonwealth, counties, municipalities and victims.
   
• the enhancement of electronic filing of traffic citations and criminal complaints to save police and courts both time and money. In January 2010, the Pennsylvania State Police began statewide traffic citation e-filing in collaboration with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). The state police commissioner said the technology cuts in half the amount of time a trooper needs to issue a citation, allowing the officer to get back on the road more quickly and resume duties. Plus, this allows court staff to receive, print and file e-tickets in approximately one-fourth the time. The AOPC is working with local police departments plan to implement e-filing of traffic citations in the future and local courts are beginning to provide an e-filing option for criminal complaints.
   
• the development of a Web-based portal, making criminal court docket sheets available on the Internet at no charge, eliminating an untold amount of time for interested parties to travel to courthouses for paper copies of docket sheets and for court staff to make them. In 2009, 26 million docket sheets were accessed through the AOPC’s Web Portal at http://ujsportal.pacourts.us.

“Zig Pines’ creative and innovative leadership, especially during this time of financial uncertainty for state courts, and his commitment to preserving the integrity of the court system has earned him the respect of the Pennsylvania judiciary,” said Mary C. McQueen, president of the National Center. “His collaborative spirit and tireless work on behalf of the nation’s courts have earned him the respect of his peers. The judicial system is fortunate to have Zig as a dedicated advocate.”

Pines has devoted the majority of his career to Pennsylvania’s judicial system. He was appointed court administrator of Pennsylvania in 2000, following nine years of service as chief legal counsel for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. From 1978-91, Pines was assistant chief staff attorney for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. He also was an attorney with the Philadelphia firm of Raynes, McCarty, Binder, and Mundy from 1975-78.

As co-chair of the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators Joint Committee on Court Security and Emergency Preparedness, Pines has used his experience in Pennsylvania to help courts nationwide focus on the critical issues they may face following natural disasters, security breaches, and pandemics. Earlier this year, the committee’s work resulted in the publication of a handbook identifying the best practices for court security and emergency preparedness.

Pines has authored several publications on criminal justice, appellate procedures, and ethics, and has testified before a U.S. House subcommittee on court security. He received his master of law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, his juris doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and his bachelor’s from Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

View AOPC News Release including Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille’s nomination letter [PDF]