The Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration
The Warren E. Burger Award honors the late Chief Justice of the United States, who was instrumental in founding the National Center for State Courts and its Institute for Court Management. Chief Justice Burger was a staunch supporter of the mission of the National Center for State Courts to improve judicial administration through leadership and service to state courts. The Burger Award recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed to improving the administration of the state courts.
The Warren E. Burger Society
The Warren E. Burger Society was formed upon the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the National Center for State Courts in 1996 to honor individuals who have volunteered their time, talent, and support to NCSC in an exceptional manner. Membership in the Society is granted to volunteers who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to improving the administration of justice through extraordinary contributions of service or support to the National Center for State Courts.
The Harry L. Carrico Award for Judicial Innovation
The award is named after retired Virginia Chief Justice Harry L. Carrico, who was instrumental in founding the National Center for State Courts in 1971. Chief Justice Carrico served on the National Center's Board of Directors from 1987 to 1990, serving as chair from 1989-1990. The award, created in 2003 when Chief Justice Carrico retired, was established to honor a sitting state court chief justice or justice who has inspired, sponsored, promoted, or led an innovation of national significance in the field of judicial administration.
The G. Thomas Munsterman Award
The award is named for G. Thomas Munsterman, the founder and former director of NCSC’s Center for Jury Studies and an internationally renowned innovator in jury systems and research.
The Sandra Day O'Connor Award
The Sandra Day O'Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education is named after the retired Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. This award honors an organization, court or individual (or individuals) who have promoted, inspired, improved, or led an innovation or accomplishment in the field of civics education relating to the justice system.
The William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence
The William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence is one of our nation’s highest judicial honors. Presented annually by the National Center for State Courts, this prestigious award honors a state court judge who demonstrates the outstanding qualities of judicial excellence, including integrity, fairness, open-mindedness, knowledge of the law, professional ethics, creativity, sound judgment, intellectual courage, and decisiveness.