NAICJA would like to share the National Consortium on Racial & Ethnic Fairness in the Courts’ Statement on George Floyd’s Death

June 5, 2020

The Directors and Advisors of the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts (“National Consortium”) mourns the recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our condolences extend to the Floyd family as well as to other families who have lost relatives at the hands of law enforcement officers. The continuing lawful protests around the country represent the public’s frustration with the cycle of excessive force used by law-enforcement officers against Black people and other people of color and the perceived inadequacy of the justice system to impose sanctions, convictions and civil remedies severe enough to deter this conduct. The National Consortium respects the rights of people to assemble to express their disapproval but denounce the use of violence, acts of vandalism and destruction of property that threatens the community and the rule of law.

The goal of the National Consortium is for every state, tribal nation and territory to maintain a judicial system that is accessible, free from bias, fair for all, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or other demographic identifiers. To accomplish this goal, the National Consortium encourages the highest court of each state to establish committees or related entities to assist its courts in ensuring that all court users-including defendants, victims, civil litigants, witnesses and the public– are treated equitably and with dignity and respect. These committees, who comprise the National Consortium membership, exist in approximately half of the states. We encourage the committees to open a dialogue to address the concerns of their residents and court system stakeholders. The National Consortium stands ready to support and assist courts in the United States, its territories and in tribal nations to address concerns with public trust and confidence within their communities.

Hon. Susan F. Maven, Board President
H. Clifton Grandy, Esq., Secretary/Treasurer

Mission Statement
The National Consortium is committed to encouraging the highest courts of each state to create commissions to examine the treatment accorded minorities in their courts; sharing the collective knowledge of task forces and commissions with courts, law enforcement, and the community; and providing technical assistance and expertise to commissions, task forces, and other interested organizations and individuals on the subject of racial and ethnic fairness.