Members present:
Judge Bruce Bohlman
Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner
Judge M. Richard Geiger
Shawn Peterson
Peggy Larson
Members absent:
Judge Donald Jorgensen
Judge Zane Anderson
Judge William Severin
Candace Zierdt
Keithe Nelson
Staff: Carla Kolling
Chair Jorgensen was unable to attend the meeting therefore Judge Bohlman served as Chair.
Chair Bohlman called the meeting to order at 11:35 a.m. and welcomed all members and introduced Shawn Peterson as the Commission's newest member.
The minutes from the June 14, 2000 meeting and July 20, 2000 conference call were approved as drafted.
Chair Bohlman explained that the amendment arose from a request from the presiding judges in an attempt to implement a uniform practice for approving/disproving out-of-state travel for judicial department personnel. He said that a small working group was formed and developed the amendment to Policy 110R which provides that each employee interested in attending an out-of-state education program must first submit a request to their appointing authority, their appointing authority will then forward the request to the Chief Justice or his designee for consideration.
Chair Bohlman explained that there has been an additional request made to include language in the policy which would provide employees an opportunity to take time with pay to attend non-court funded job-related education programs. He said the Personnel Policy Board approved an amendment which provides up to five days of paid leave for court employees to attend non-court funded job-related education programs.
A motion was made by Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner, seconded by Peggy Larson to blend the two amendments into one then forward the amended policy to the Council of Presiding Judges for comment prior to submission to the Personnel Policy Board. The motion unanimously carried.
Members requested Carla Kolling to compile the data from the individualized education plans and develop one uniform plan for the members' review at the November meeting.
Carla Kolling reported the events of the meeting of the Education Subcommittee for Judges and Referees. She explained that the members identified the educational content for the Judicial Institute scheduled for May 21-24, 2001 at the Radisson in Fargo. She said that Monday will be directed towards Treatment of Children in Court; Tuesday, Ethics; Wednesday, representatives from the State Hospital, State Penitentiary, James River Corrections Center and YCC will explain eligibility requirements for treatment, how to access the programs and explain the treatment programs themselves; Thursday, an attempt to have Jerry Spence attend to discuss his perspective of what judges do and do not do correctly.
Chair Bohlman drew the members' attention to the October 4 correspondence from Keithe Nelson which reflects a change to the Judicial Conference by-laws. The proposed change would place the governing authority over judicial education with the Judicial Conference.
Judge Bohlman explained that the current structure works well and discourages any action to return the Education Committee to the Judicial Conference. He said by doing so makes the Commission an inferior position.
The next meeting of the Continuing Judicial Education Commission is scheduled for November 20, 2000 at 6:00 p.m. Dinner will be served.
Respectfully submitted,
Carla Kolling, Staff