2013 Vanguard Court Watch Dinner and Awards Ceremony – The 2013 Dinner and Awards Ceremony’s theme was restorative justice and featured Fresno County Judge David Gottlieb, a 2005 appointee to the bench by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who as the presiding judge of the Juvenile Delinquency Court for Fresno County, was involved with innovative programs at the Juvenile Court, including FBHC (Family Behavioral Health Court) which provides specialized collaborative service for delinquent juveniles, CJC (Community Justice Conference), a unique predisposition restorative justice program, and he actively participates in the Juvenile Justice Commission and Fresno County Interagency.
Fresno County has been ahead of the curve, with a Victim Offender Reconciliation Program that was founded in 1982, the first in California, and the Community Justice Conference, which has been duplicated around California and Tim Nightengale who heads up the VORP spoke on that.
The evening also featured award presentations to Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi.
Fresno County Judge David Gottlieb and Fresno VORP Director Tim Nightengale present their restorative justice program at the event on November 9, 2013 at the Davis Veteran’s Memorial Center.
San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi received the Vanguard Court Watch Justice Awards to Elected Officials for his work on behalf the right of indigent defendants.
California State Assemblymember Tom Ammiano received the Vanguard Court Watch Justice Awards to Elected Officials for his work in the Assembly on behalf of Social Justice.
Former Justice Cruz Reynoso presents Vanguard Justice Award to the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic. The award was received by current director Holly Cooper and Founder and longtime director Jim Smith and was one of eight awards handed out that evening.
Wow, sometimes you don’t know how awesome your friends are (in this case Holly Cooper) until you watch them receive a justice award, and learn about what exactly they are willing to do to ensure justice for others.