Colorado Judge Frederic B. Rodgers to Receive 2009 Franklin N. Flaschner Award from ABA Judicial Division

CHICAGO, July 13, 2009 – Judge Frederic B. Rodgers of the Gilpin County Court, Colo., will receive the 2009 Franklin N. Flaschner Award from the American Bar Association Judicial Division National Conference of Specialized Court Judges.  The award is presented to a sitting or retired judge who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to high ideals, exemplary character, leadership and competence in performing judicial duties, through exceptional efforts on the bench in his or her state.

The award will be presented at the NCSCJ Dinner and Awards Presentation during the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, July 30, 8 p.m., at the Devon Seafood Grill, 39 E. Chicago Ave.

Rodgers, a graduate of Amherst College and the Albany Law School, has been a judge since 1969, when he served as one of the first U.S. Army military judges in Vietnam.  While serving, he was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Air Medal for meritorious achievement in aerial flight.  He was also chief deputy district attorney in Denver, magistrate of the Denver Juvenile Court and a private practitioner in Breckenridge, Colo.  He became a part-time municipal judge in 1978, and in 1986 Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm appointed him as judge of the Gilpin County Court, where he remains today.  Rodgers hears civil and criminal cases, from traffic violations to felonies, as well as juvenile, domestic relations, eminent domain, mental health, small claims and probate cases in Colorado’s 1st Judicial District.  The voters have retained him in five elections.  In addition to his courtroom career, Rodgers has taught at numerous national, international and state CLE programs.

Judge John Rosson, of Knoxville, Tenn., chair of the NCSCJ Awards Committee said, “Judge Rodgers is a most deserving recipient of the Flaschner Award for 2009.   His spirit and personality are contagious; his drive infectious; and his work on the bench is both caring and considerate of all concerned.  He has presented his unique judicial education programs around the country, often inserting songs and music into the presentations to the surprise and amazement of the participants. When he presented for Tennessee judges recently, rock-and-roll legend Carl Perkins’ son, Stan Perkins, made a surprise appearance with him and they played Carl Perkins’ songs together. Our judges of courts of specialized jurisdiction are the local face of the judiciary, and we are proud to honor Judge Rodgers for his enviable record of service to his state, to the conference and to the advancement of justice around the world.”

Rodgers’ personal and professional history of service as well as his experience in Vietnam afforded him the opportunity to provide judicial training and law drafting assistance to the Vietnam Supreme People’s Court, National Assembly and Ministry of Justice for USAID and the United Nations. His work resulted in the Peoples Republic of Vietnam achieving its goal of accession into the World Trade Organization in 2005.

Rodgers has been president of the Colorado Municipal Judges Association, the Colorado County Judges Association, the Denver Law Club, the National Conference of Special Court Judges and Rhone-Brackett American Inn of Court. He has also served as vice-chair of the Colorado Trial Judges Council and senior vice president of the Colorado Bar Association.

Rodgers’ ABA leadership roles have had significant impact in the stewardship of his profession.  He served in various ABA policy-making bodies including its House of Delegates, nominating committee and the Board of Governors. Additionally, Rodgers was chair of the ABA Judicial Division.

Rodgers has served on the boards of the American Judicature Society and the National Judicial College.  He joined the NJC faculty in 1990, was chair of its faculty council in 1999 and is chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of the college. He is a life fellow of both the American and Colorado Bar Foundations and has been the Colorado State chair of the ABA Fellows since 2005.

Rodgers has also received the Anthony Greco Award for Exemplary Judicial Achievement and Leadership from his fellow Colorado judges at the 2008 annual State Judicial Conference; the Outstanding State Chair of the ABA Fellows Award from the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation in February 2009; the 2009 Proclamation of Honor from the mayor and councilors, City of Central for leadership roles throughout his career and significant stewardship of his profession; the Law Day 1992 Outstanding County Judge Award from the 17th Judicial District Victims’ Advocacy Coalition for outstanding and caring service to victims of crime; and the 2003 Award of Merit from the Denver Law Club for helping us all maintain humor and civility in our daily lives.

The National Conference of Specialized Court Judges has been the organizational home to judges of limited and special jurisdiction from around the country. It includes judges presiding over tax, traffic, probate, juvenile, domestic relations, environmental, small claims, landlord-tenant, military, tribal, immigration, municipal, county, and district courts. More persons come in contact with limited jurisdiction courts than any other type of court. Specialized court judges truly preside over “the people’s court.”

The ABA Judicial Division works to improve the quality of justice provided in American courts and to make the judicial system more understandable, accessible and affordable. Judicial Division committees address such issues as judicial outreach, judicial independence, judicial ethics and judicial education.

With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Editors Note: For a photograph of Judge Rodgers, click here.

Accredited reporters are welcome to attend the award presentation and the ABA Annual Meeting, July 30 – Aug. 4.  For media credentials contact Dave Jaffe, 312-988-6139, jaffed@staff.abanet.org. To register for the meeting click here.  For more information on the Franklin N. Flaschner Award or the NCSCJ, contact Lucinda Jo Ann Saringer at 312-988-6257 or e-mail saringej@staff.abanet.org. On site, call the Press Room at 312-239-4977