New leadership at NCSC

Court leaders from Ohio and Washington state heading the board

Williamsburg, Va., (Aug. 14, 2017) – Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor is the new chair of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors, and Callie T. Dietz, Washington’s state court administrator, is its vice chair.

The board appointed O’Connor and Dietz to those positions at its recent meeting in Philadelphia, where O’Connor became president of the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Dietz became president of the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA).

CCJ promotes the interests and effectiveness of state judicial systems by developing policies and educational programs designed to improve court operations. COSCA is committed to strengthening the judicial branch by improving the quality of state courts and increasing the public’s trust and confidence in the justice system.

O'Connor, Ohio’s 10th chief justice and first woman to lead the state’s judicial branch, has spearheaded significant judicial reforms in Ohio, including addressing the impact that court fines, fees, and bail practices have on the poor.

Dietz, Washington’s court administrator since 2012, also was the top court administrator in Alabama, and has served as chair of COSCA’s Education Committee and as co-chair of CCJ/COSCA’s Elders and the Courts Committee.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit court reform 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.