National court nonprofit honors Mo. courts IT director

Michael J. Roggero receives Distinguished Service Award for contributions to court technology

Williamsburg, Va. (July 11, 2011) — Michael J. “Jim” Roggero, director of Information Technology for the Missouri state courts administrator’s office and director of the Missouri Court Automation Program, is the recipient of a 2010 Distinguished Service Award from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). Robert N. Baldwin, NCSC executive vice president and general counsel, will present the award to Roggero tomorrow morning during the National Association for Court Management and National Association of State Judicial Educators Joint Annual Conference at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.

“There can be no argument that the automation of court processes and the thoughtful and deliberate use of technology by the nation’s courts helps the wheels of justice turn faster,” said Mary C. McQueen, NCSC president. “Through his leadership of Missouri’s Division of Information Technology as well as many national technology committees, Jim Roggero has helped steer courts toward a higher standard of efficiency, transparency, and access.” 

The National Center presents six Distinguished Service Awards annually to those who have made significant contributions to the judicial or court administration fields and to the work of the National Center. The awards recognize one person from each of the following categories: current or former state appellate judge; current or former state trial judge; state-level court administrator or employee; trial-level court administrator or employee; attorney or other individual not employed by the courts; and current or former international judge or court executive. Roggero will receive the Distinguished Service Award given to a state-level court administrator or employee.

Since February of 1997, Roggero has overseen the development, implementation, and operations of computer systems and databases for all levels of the Missouri courts system and the state courts administrator’s office. His office is responsible for the coordination of policies, program maintenance, and technical support for court staff as well as the general public. He also led the implementation of the statewide court automation project and the development of the award-winning Missouri Case.net site, which provides access to public case records throughout the state.

As the current chair of the Court Information Technology Officers Consortium, Roggero helps guide the activities of the organization that assists judicial branch leaders in resolving business and technology problems. He also is a member of the National Center on Full Faith and Credit Advisory Committee and past chair of the National Information Technology Forum and National XML Justice Integration and Emerging Technology Committee. He has served as a faculty member for NCSC’s Institute for Court Management.

Roggero spent 26 years in various command and staff positions with the U.S. Air Force, serving as project director and lead on many space, missile, and other operational systems. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Fresno, and his master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts.