Each year, the Star Award is conferred on an ICM Fellow who demonstrates excellence in the advancement of court administration through leadership and education. The Institute for Court Management accepts nominations for the Star Award from ICM Fellows. The Award recipient is announced at a Fellows reception typically held at the annual conference of the National Association for Court Management. The recipient of the 2016 Star Award is Linda Romero Soles from California.

Linda is the Chief Executive Officer for the Superior Court of California, County of Merced. She has extensive experience in the courts, having served in the Superior Courts of both Merced and Stanislaus Counties as well as the United States District Court, Central District of California in Los Angeles. Dedicated to the professional development of others, Linda has participated on numerous court committees such as the Trial Court Facilities Working Group, Legislation Working Group, Trial Court Facility Advisory Modification Committee, Education Leadership Committee, Trial Court Budget Working Advisory Group, and Co-Chair of the Joint Rules Committee. She is a past Board member for the National Association for Court Management. As faculty, she has facilitated courses for the California Presiding Judges/Court Executive Officers Institute, the California Judicial Council, the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts, the California Courts’ Center for Judicial Education and Research, and Michigan State University’s Judicial Administration Program. As faculty for ICM, she facilitated the first NCSC class in Spanish for the Judiciary of Puerto Rico.

Linda holds a Master of Public Administration with a certificate in judicial administration from the University of Southern California. She is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration. Linda is a 2006 Fellow of the Institute for Court Management.

Congratulations to Linda Romero Soles, ICM’s recipient of the 2016 Star Award.

“It is indeed an honor to receive the 2016 ICM Star Award. In my career, I have always believed in continuous education and learning, pushing beyond my comfort zone, and mentoring future court leaders. My sincere thanks to ICM for facilitating and supporting all of my efforts in this regard.”

Previous Star Award Winners

2015 Mark Van Bever
2014 Jude Del Preore
2013 Kevin J. Bowling
2012 Howard H. Berchtold, Jr.
2011 Patricia Duggan
2010 Don Jacobson
2009 Bob Zastany
2008 Chris Crawford
2007 Collins E. Ijoma
2006 Pamela Ryder-Lahey
2005 D. J. Hanson
2004 Sue Dosal and Gordy Griller
2003 Donald Cullen
2002 Janet G. Cornell
2001 Carl Baar and Geoff Gallas
2000 Mary M. Brittain
1999 Daniel H. Straub