Administrative Order 21 - MINORITY JUSTICE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE

Section 1. Creation.

This order establishes a minority justice implementation committee. Its purpose is to provide a means to implement the recommendations of the North Dakota commission to study racial and ethnic bias in the courts submitted to the supreme court in the final report of the commission dated June 2012.

Section 2. Membership.

The chief justice, in consultation with the chair of this committee, will appoint a 14-member committee. The following positions will be appointed to the committee with their consent: executive director of the North Dakota Indian affairs commission, dean of the University of North Dakota School of Law or designee; executive director of the state bar association of North Dakota, director of the department of corrections and rehabilitation, state court administrator, executive director of legal services of North Dakota, executive director of the commission on legal counsel for indigent defense, two district judges, two attorneys and three members-at-large. The chief justice will appoint the committee chair. The chief justice will appoint replacement members after consultation with the chair of this committee. Members who serve as attorneys, district judges and members-at-large will serve three-year terms and may serve two consecutive three-year terms.

Section 3. Duties.

The committee will

(a) Develop a detailed course of action to implement the recommendations of the final report of the North Dakota commission to study racial and ethnic bias in the courts, after review by the supreme court;

(b) Monitor progress in the North Dakota court system of reducing racial and ethnic bias;

(c) Seek funding sources for the implementation of commission recommendations;

(d) Develop and coordinate initiatives designed to broaden access to and improve public understanding of the legal system including through partnerships with the bar, law school and community groups;

(e) Devise methods for the public to communicate with the committee concerns relating to perceived ethnic or racial bias in the North Dakota court system;

(f) Recommend action beyond that set forth by the commission and supreme court review where necessary to achieve the goals identified in the final report.

Section 4. Staffing.

Staffing for the committee will be provided by the office of state court administrator.

Section 5. Report.

The committee must submit a progress report to the chief justice on an annual basis.

Section 6. Expenses.

Committee expenses incurred by members are reimbursed by the supreme court.

Section 7. Effective Date.

This order is effective August 5, 2015, and remains in effect until further order of the court.