Iowa Court Administrator receives national award

Iowa Court Administrator receives national award

Williamsburg, Va., January 23, 2018 — David K. Boyd, recently retired State Court Administrator for the Iowa Judicial Branch, has been named recipient of the National Center for State Courts’ (NCSC) 2017 Warren E. Burger Award. The Burger Award recognizes an individual, other than a sitting judge, whose work has significantly contributed to improving the administration of the state courts. This award honors a person who demonstrates professional expertise, leadership, integrity, creativity, innovativeness, and sound judgment. 

Boyd exemplifies each of these qualities, said Iowa Chief Justice Mark Cady. “For the last 40 years, David has served the Iowa Judicial Branch with honor, integrity, creativity, and passion,” he said in a nomination letter. Boyd was named Iowa’s State Court Administrator in 2003, after serving 19 years as Deputy State Court Administrator. Prior to that, Boyd was District Court Administrator for the Third Judicial District of Iowa. He served as president of the Conference of State Court Administrators and vice-chair of NCSC’s Board of Directors in 2014 - 2015.

Boyd is being presented the award during a ceremony in August at the annual meeting of the Conference of Chief Justice and the Conference of State Court Administrators.

Throughout his career, Boyd has earned a national reputation for innovation in, and advancement of, court processes. Chief Justice Cady said one of Boyd’s top accomplishments came in 2015, when under his leadership Iowa became the first court system in the country to implement an electronic filing system for all case types and all users. He also led the state’s transition from a county-based court system to a statewide, unified system. In 2010, Boyd gained national recognition for his tireless work to restore public trust and confidence in the justice system after a bitter statewide election that ousted three sitting Supreme Court justices.

Boyd also served as the executive secretary to the Iowa Commission on Judicial Qualifications and the State Judicial Nominating Commission and was the administrator of the Iowa Judicial Retirement System. Boyd retired in September 2017.

The Burger Award honors the late Chief Justice of the United States, who was instrumental in founding the NCSC and its Institute for Court Management. Chief Justice Burger was a staunch supporter of the mission of the National Center to improve judicial administration through leadership and service to state courts.  

NCSC, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit court organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. NCSC provides executive management services to CCJ, COSCA, NACM, NAPCO and several other court associations. 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.