Fellows Alumni

Jill L. Houck

The Vice President of ICM presents the Award of Merit for Applied Research to the ICM Fellows Program graduate who completes the most outstanding court improvement project in each graduating class. Jill Houck, Operations Division Manager/Assistant Trial Court Administrator for the Superior Court of New Jersey – Vicinage I, Atlantic and Cape May Counties is the 51^st Class recipient. NCSC’s Kathryn Genthon, Senior Court Research Associate, provided guidance to Ms. Houck as her Project Mentor.

Ms. Houck’s paper on “Racial Disparity in New Jersey’s Drug Distribution in a Public Zone Law” examined the adverse effects of public zone distribution laws on people of color, indigent defendants, and urban defendants in Atlantic County, New Jersey. Her project compared the demographics of individuals convicted of drug distribution in a public zone offenses with those convicted of drug distribution without the public zone location aggravating circumstance. She then explored the impact of this inexpungable offense on individuals through surveys and interviews.

The study had several interesting findings. First, it found the major difference between individuals convicted of expungable third-degree drug distribution and inexpungable second-degree drug distribution in a public zone was the location of their homes. Individuals convicted of second-degree drug distribution were almost twice as likely to live in an urban area, while individuals convicted of third-degree drug distribution were just as likely to live in a suburban location as an urban one.  She also found individuals convicted for both crimes tended to be black men in their 30’s with a similar number of felony convictions, represented by either a public defender or court-appointed attorney. She then found the inexpungable offense created negative perceptions of fairness in individuals convicted of second-degree drug distribution. The enhanced charge did not deter individuals from undesired behavior because they did not know they were in a public zone. Further, they did not know they faced greater punishment for being in a public zone.  In the words of one respondent, they felt “punished forever,” and that they were treated differently because of their race, socioeconomic status, and place of residence. For them, justice was not blind.

In addition to the perspectives of community members who cannot expunge this offense from their records, this paper also gathers the perspectives of those working within the criminal justice system. Ms. Houck interviewed a presiding criminal judge, a prosecutor, and two public defenders. Despite their different roles in the justice system, they shared similar perspectives on the law’s disparate impact on urban residents.

This paper is important because it not only shares quantitative data about the impact of New Jersey’s drug distribution laws, but it also shares the perspectives of those involved with the criminal justice system in several different roles. It also provides several recommendations to resolve the issues highlighted by the paper. While the main problem is a legislative one, it also offers recommendations for actions that help increase equity without changing the law.

Jill Houck is the Assistant Trial Court Administrator and Operations Division Manager for the Superior Court of New Jersey in Atlantic County. She oversees jury management, the interpreters’ unit, records management, and transcription services and serves as the ADA Coordinator. Jill has worked for the Judiciary for over 16 years, previously serving as a probation officer, team leader, Assistant Criminal Division Manager, and Criminal Division Manager. Jill has been asked by the New Jersey AOC to serve on several statewide committees, most recently serving on the Post-Pandemic Planning Committee on Resuming Jury Trials.

Beyond her primary responsibilities, Jill has steered the expansion of community outreach in her court, following her true passion for achieving access and fairness for all. In 2015, she developed an innovative approach to outreach, meeting court users where they are.   This resulted in the Atlantic City Bus Station initiative, which was awarded the Mid-Atlantic Association for Court Management John Neufeld Award in 2020 and was also recently highlighted in the National Center for State Court’s Trends Publication.In 2018, Jill was also presented with a Community Service Award from the Atlantic County Coalition for a Safe Community for her community outreach efforts. Jill holds a BA and MA in forensic psychology from John Jay College of New York City.

Charleston L. Carter

The Class Spokesperson is chosen by their classmates to represent them at graduation. The 51^st class chose Charleston L. Carter, Civil Division Deputy Director of the Washington, D.C. Superior Courts. The text of his speech follows.

5.4.3.2.1 – Exhale

Are you wise? Who am I to ask such a question? Am I a religious expert or a young philosopher perhaps? No, I am neither, but it was not me, who asked the question. There once lived a man by the name of Socrates who asked the question, “Are you wise?”

Allow me to reflect.

A young boy once approached Socrates with the desire to obtain wisdom. Without saying a word, Socrates led the young boy down to the edge of the sea and walked in, beckoning him to follow. When they were standing waist-deep in the water, Socrates pushed the young boy down, completely submerging his head. Socrates held him down for a couple of minutes before letting him up. Sputtering, grasping, and angry, the young boy demanded to know why Socrates had held him underwater for so long. In response, Socrates asked, when you were under the water, what did you want more than anything in the world?
After a moment's reflection, the young boy answered, I wanted to breathe.
Ah, Socrates replied. When you desire wisdom, knowledge, and leadership skills as much as you desired to breathe, it is then that you shall have it.

I want to thank the National Center for State Courts for sharing your professors, teachers, advisors, and other staff with us during this worthwhile educational journey. With certainty, my colleagues understand that the staff represented Socrates in the story. As we were held down under the water, various emotions enveloped us: impatience, anxiety, frustration, self-doubt, and hopelessness. Fellow colleagues, please know the National Center for State Courts staff didn’t mean any malintent from their actions, but only represented our best interest in our pursuit of becoming an informed court professional as we emerged slowly from the water. Once we emerged, other emotions enveloped us: patience, trust, inspiration, confidence, and hopefulness.

We must honor and recognize all of those who have provided a certain nudge or supportive hand when we needed it, we must always remember this day. Never forget those who have aided us in our journey of life, and always remember to couple their wisdom with our own wisdom.

Because of the experiences we have acquired over the years in the Institute for Court Management program, we will not forge ahead unarmed. We now have a certain amount of wisdom gained through experience and time that we did not have before. Of course, we will still make some mistakes, and we will stumble along the path - but if someone knocks you down in the process, make sure you land on your back, because if you can see up, then you can get up, and if you can get up, then you can stand up, and if you can stand up, you can face the obstacle you faced before, but this time you will beat it.

I want you all to know that you are Champions. Give yourself a round of applause.

There is a poem by Walter D. Wintle that is entitled the Champion Creed, and it says:

If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you'd like to win, but you think you can't,

It's almost a cinch that you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost.

For out of the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow's will,

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are

You've got to think high to rise,

you've got to be sure of yourself before you ever win a prize.

Life's battle doesn't always go to the swifter or faster man,

But sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he or she can. Fellow Champions, what is next? We must put our gifted minds and humble hearts into all that we do and breathe with all the passion within us, and when it is said and done, our lives will speak the answer to the question that still remains, are you wise? 5.4.3.2.1 – You are Breathing!

Thank you!

Charleston L. Carter

Charleston L. Carter is the Deputy Director for Superior Courts of Washington, D.C. Mr. Carter serves as the principal adviser to the Director of the Civil Division, keeping the Director abreast of division operations, projects, and programs. He directs the day-to-day operations including administration, case management, courtroom support, and quality control.

Prior to moving to Washington, D.C. in 2021, Mr. Carter served as the Trial Court Administrator for the State of North Carolina, Circuit Court Administrator for the Tifton Judicial Circuit in Tifton, Georgia, Trial Court Administrator for Athens-Clarke County, and Superior Court Program Administrator/Director of Case Management for Fulton County, Georgia. Mr. Carter has over 28 years of legal and court administration experience.

Mr. Carter received both a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in African American Studies and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State University. He has earned several certifications, including a Master Certificate of Court Administration from Michigan State University, and a Certification in Judicial Philosophy from Harvard University.

Mr. Carter served as a Director on the Board of the National Association for Court Management and was the Chair of the Communications Committee. Additionally, Mr. Carter was a member of the Georgia Council of Court Administrators and served on the Board of Directors for three years and as Chair of the Website Committee.