Los Angeles County Superior Court executive officer, clerk of court honored with national court administration award

Williamsburg, Va. (July 21, 2025) – David Slayton, Executive Officer/Clerk of Court for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, has received the Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration. 

Presented by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), the award honors individuals whose service has significantly contributed to improving the administration of state courts through professional expertise, leadership, integrity, creativity, innovation, and sound judgment.

NCSC President Beth Clement honored Slayton with the award at the National Association for Court Management annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska, today.

Slayton, who joined the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in 2022, leads a team of more than 4,800 employees — the largest single court system in the world. In recent years, he's initiated efforts to increase efficiency and improve the court user experience by leveraging technology and engaging the public and justice partners to identify new approaches to pretrial release, youth justice, evictions, and other administrative activities.

Known for fostering collaboration, implementing innovative solutions and demonstrating enthusiastic leadership, Slayton has led advancements in court administration at the local, state, and national levels throughout his 27-year career.

During his tenure as administrative director for the Texas Office of Court Administration, Slayton spearheaded a statewide e-filing implementation and crisis response to cyberattacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, which included facilitating one of the first virtual jury trials in the nation.

Slayton continued to share his local and state court expertise with courts across the country and the world as vice president of court consulting services at the National Center for State Courts. 

"David embraces and exemplifies the characteristics embodied by Chief Justice Burger — professional expertise, leadership, integrity, creativity, innovativeness, and sound judgment," wrote Loretta H. Rush, chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court and past president of the Conference of Chief Justices. "Many courts across the country have benefited from the positive impacts of his work to improve the administration of our nation's courts."