Cite Meritorious Service
Honor 4 Court Workers

By MIA GOLDBERG

Four New York State court employees were given the Merit Performance Award - the highest honor bestowed in the court system - as part of Law Day 2008 held May 2 in Albany.

OCA photo by Lieut. David A. Collins BEYOND THE CALL ON SUBWAY TRACKS: Court Officer Timmy L. Cowart receives Office of Court Administration's Heroism Award from Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau for protecting from the electrified third rail two men who fell onto the subway tracks during a fight. Sitting to his left is the state's Chief Judge, Judith S. Kaye.

The recipients were recognized for superior work performance; heroism; outstanding educational efforts and community service and humanitarian pursuits. State Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau presided over the ceremony, and State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo was among the speakers.

Getting Addicts 'Back on Track'

Attorney Justin Barry received the Award for Superior Work Performance. Mr. Barry was a public defender for the Legal Aid Society from 1989 until 2002, when he left to coordinate specialized drug-treatment courts throughout the city. The courts play a hands-on role in monitoring patient progress. "The goal," he said in a May 7 phone interview, "is to get people who commit crimes because of drug addiction back on track ... and into treatment within 72 hours from their arrest."

In April 2007 Court Officer Timmy L. Cowart Jr. was stuck in a subway car being held in the station during his morning commute to Bronx Supreme Court. When he realized that two men had fallen onto the tracks during a fist-fight, Mr. Cowart jumped onto the tracks to protect them from the electrified third rail.

He was given the Heroism Award, but he said the credit should go to his mentors and co-workers. "I still feel there are officers who are more deserving. They are the ones who helped motivate and support me while I learned to master my craft," the two-year veteran said in a phone interview.

Cite Organizer, Disabled-Helper

Cindy M. O'Bara, a judge's secretary in Erie County, has been organizing local Law Day activities for five years as a way to educate the public - children in particular - about the importance of the court system and the realities of the judicial process. Ms. O'Bara was nominated for the Outstanding Educational Efforts Award by her boss, and was this year's honoree.

Eloina D. Diaz is a Senior Court Clerk in the Staten Island Supreme Court part that handles almost half of the county's guardianship cases. Despite the numbers, she helps the incapacitated - mostly elderly - and their appointed guardians find the critical services they need, including housing for the disabled, educational facilities and even Internet service. For her efforts, she was given the merit award for Community Service and Humanitarian Pursuits.

President Eisenhower declared May 1 "Law Day" in 1958 to honor "national dedication to the principle of government under laws."