Court Officials Honored at TCBC Meeting

The Trial Court Budget Commission met on Monday, January 7, in Tallahassee. While the commission addressed issues such as the current fiscal year budget status, committee reports, and supplemental budget requests for the coming legislative session (read the Commission meeting agenda), this commission meeting opened by recognizing and honoring two key court officials.

Mike Bridenback (photo top left, with presenter Judge Meg Steinbeck at far left), the Trial Court Administrator in the 13th Judicial Circuit, was presented the Kenneth R. Palmer Award of Distinguished Excellence in Judicial Administration, which is an award jointly conferred by the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges and the TCBC.  Mr. Bridenback received this award as a result of extraordinary leadership and commitment to the Florida trial courts.  Former recipients of the award – which was established to honor Kenneth R. Palmer who served as the Florida State Courts Administrator from 1985 until 2001 - are Lisa Goodner, Florida State Courts Administrator; and Carol Ortman, former Trial Court Administrator in the 17th Circuit. 

In addition, Chief Judge Charles Francis (photo below at near left) of the Second Judicial Circuit, received an award for his dedicated and long-standing service on the commission.  A founding member of the TCBC, Chief Judge Francis served from the establishment of the Commission in November 2000 through November 2012, and also served  as vice-chair of the commission from 2006 to 2010. Chief Judge Francis’s tireless advocacy of adequate, fair, and stable funding for the State Courts System has helped ensure justice for all Floridians.

The judicial branch will continue to benefit from the contributions of Mr. Bridenback and Chief Judge Francis for many years to come. Congratulations are extended to both.