Strengthening the Relationship between the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators and Problem-Solving Court Coordinators
Resolution 10 Strengthening the Relationship Between the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators and Problem-Solving Court Coordinators
WHEREAS, in recent years, the informal group of State Drug Court Coordinators has provided input to the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators (CCJ/COSCA) Problem-Solving Courts Committee. This input has been valuable and the Committee believes that a more formal and strengthened relationship would provide even greater benefit to state courts; and
WHEREAS, the CCJ and COSCA have long recognized the importance of problem-solving courts with the creation of a joint standing committee following the development of the 1999 COSCA White Paper, Position Paper on Therapeutic Courts; and
WHEREAS, the informal group of State Drug Court Coordinators has provided a forum for sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources and has undertaken projects, such as assisting in the development of drug court standards. Periodic meetings of this group have been funded through Department of Justice technical assistance funds; and
WHEREAS, the informal group has been instrumental in expanding and improving drug and other problem-solving courts across the country through the sharing of information and developing resources;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators approve the following recommendations:
- Three Drug Court (or Problem-Solving Court) Coordinators with statewide responsibility will be invited to participate as technical advisors with the CCJ/COSCA Problem-Solving Courts Committee with ex officio status and without voting rights.
- Participation of the technical advisors will include the same duties and activities of the CCJ and COSCA members of the Committee, including the presentation for approval of policy and resolution recommendations.
- The term of participation of individual technical advisors will be limited to one year, as the participation requires approval of the CCJ President. An individual, however, may be invited to participate with the Committee for up to three consecutive years.
- The co-chairs of the CCJ/COSCA Problem-Solving Courts Committee, in consultation with the Committee members and the co-chairs of the informal group of State Drug Court Coordinators, will recommend to the CCJ and COSCA Presidents-elect the names of three individuals at the appropriate time to ensure that appointments of the technical advisors to the Committee can be made in a timely manner.
Adopted as proposed by the CCJ/COSCA Problem Solving Courts Committee at the 2012 Annual Meeting on July 25, 2012.
Section 7.1 of Article VII of the CCJ By-Laws states: "Committee chairs, with the approval of the President, may call for assistance upon persons not eligible for committee membership."