'Happy Warrior' Lippman Given Top Judicial Honor; Justice Roberts to Bestow It

The Presiding Justice of the Manhattan-based Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court, Jonathan Lippman, will receive one of the most prestigious awards in his field, the Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence, from U.S. Supreme Court Justice John G. Roberts later this year.

JONATHAN LIPPMAN: Cited for making a difference.

Mr. Lippman is only the second New York justice to receive an honor bestowed on judges for high levels of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness and professional ethics. The presentation to the head of the First Judicial Department will be made by Justice Roberts on Nov. 20 at the high court in Washington, D.C.

Boss Cites His Accomplishments

New York's Chief Judge, Judith S. Kaye, said Mr. Lippman was ahead of the curve. "Whether the subject has been jury reform, or drug courts, or judicial selection, or the local justice court system, or getting our courts through the aftermath of Sept. 11, or innumerable other difficult, delicate, sensitive subjects, with Judge Lippman as the Chief Operating Officer, the New York courts have moved decisively into the 21st Century, and have also served as a model of innovation for other state courts throughout the nation," she stated. Judge Kaye was the only previous New York recipient of this award.

"I think they felt and we feel that we did a lot of reform and innovation in the courts," Mr. Lippman said in a phone interview on Sept. 9. He cited as accomplishments jury reform, problem-solving justice, case management reforms and legal profession reforms. "We feel very good that we brought New York into a leading role around the country," he said. "The average citizen's contact with the justice system is as a juror or a litigant in the State Supreme Court."

As Chief Administrative Judge, Mr. Lippman was credited with effectively mobilizing judges and court staff to re-open 10 key court facilities and administrative offices in Manhattan after 9/11. "I'm flattered and really feel very honored and privileged to get this award," he said.

Ms. Kaye said an article in the New York Law Journal best summed up Mr. Lippman: "Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman remains the tireless happy warrior of New York's court system ... Judge Lippman manages to retain his first-day-on-the-job enthusiasm, rooted in the conviction that he can make a difference."

From 1996-2007 Justice Lippman served as New York's Chief Administrative Judge and was responsible for the operation of a court system with a $2.4-billion budget; 1,300 state-paid judges; 2,300 town and village judges; and 16,000 non-judicial personnel.