Marcus W. Reinkensmeyer
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One of the highest awards presented by the National Center, the Burger Award is named for the former Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who helped found the NCSC in 1971. The award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the improvement of state or local court operations and whose work has application to courts nationwide.
Reinkensmeyer has administered the fifth largest trial court system in the nation since 2002. Under his leadership, the Judicial Branch in Maricopa County has undergone a major court reorganization that merged a dozen stand-alone departments, established night court pilot projects for juvenile and family courts, and expanded the use of video recording, teleconferencing, and electronic exhibit presentations in 170 courtrooms. Reinkensmeyer also helped develop and implement a 10-year master space plan for the court that includes its new 16-story, 32-courtroom Criminal Court Tower currently under construction in downtown Phoenix.
In addition to his work in Maricopa County, Reinkensmeyer served as president of the National Association for Court Management in 2008, and was editor of the association’s quarterly journal for five years. He has taught courses on a variety of topics, including court administration and jury systems innovations, for the American Bar Association, Judicial Management Institute, Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and numerous state courts, and has served as a consultant for the State Justice Institute, Judicial Management Institute, and the Supreme Court of Iowa.
Prior to joining the Maricopa County Superior Court as deputy court administrator in 1991, Reinkensmeyer was assistant director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. He also has been a circuit court administrator, assistant superintendent of juvenile detention, and a probation officer with the 17th Judicial Circuit in Rockford, Ill.
Reinkensmeyer received his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and his master’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University. He also is a fellow of the National Center’s Institute for Court Management and a graduate of its Court Executive Development Program.
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.