DIY Star Award Recipients August 2010

DIY Star Award

Star  Bronx Family Court - Petition Division Staff

Star  Gilbert Rodriguez, Assistant Deputy Chief Clerk


DIY Stars!

Congratulations Bronx Family Court Petition Division Staff!!

Assistant Deputy Chief Clerk Gilbert Rodriguez and the Bronx County Petition Division Staff received the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program's DIY Star Award on August 4, 2010, at a ceremony held at the Bronx County Family Court.

NYS Courts Access to Justice Program Director Judge Fern A. Fisher, Administrative Judge for the NYC Family Court Edwina G. Richardson-Mendelson, Deputy Chief Clerk for the NYC Family Court George Cafasso, Supervising Judge of Bronx County Family Court Monica Drinane, Bronx County Chief Clerk Mike Williams and NYS Courts Access to Justice Program Chief Counsel Rochelle Klempner, all spoke about the recipients’ outstanding efforts furthering equal access to justice for unrepresented litigants. A lovely reception was provided by the NYC Family Court (although there was no red velvet cake or "dirty hotdogs").

(Read what Administrative Judge Edwina Richardson-Mendelson and Chief Clerk Peter Passidomo had to say about Bronx County Family Court.)

Gilbert Rodriguez is a DIY Star because of his valuable contribution to the development, implementation and promotion of the DIY Family Court programs. Gilbert contributed to the development of the programs by testing early prototypes and providing feedback from himself and litigants for improvements. Gilbert is also responsible for the tremendous usage of the programs in the Bronx Family Court, having instituted a policy of all unrepresented litigants being directed to courthouse DIY terminals. This past Quarter, UCMS statistics indicate that over 50% of unrepresented litigants filing a Support Modification used the DIY program. Gilbert’s efforts to ensure the program’s use in the courthouse are greatly appreciated.

DIY Stars!

Gilbert Rodriguez with his DIY Star Award

The Bronx County Family Court staff are also DIY Stars because of their commitment to promoting and facilitating usage of the Paternity Petition and Support Modification Petition DIY Form programs. In the first six month of 2010, the Bronx Family Court recorded the filing of 1,398 DIY Support Modifications and 449 DIY Paternity Petitions in UCMS! This was the most DIY filings of any court in the whole state. The overwhelming majority of the DIY programs were used by the litigants in the courthouse.

NYS Courts Access to Justice staff work around the clock to input all the data from the 815 User Surveys returned in the first half of 2010. Numerous surveys, far too many too list here, comment on the staff's excellent service to the public. A brief sampling of what litigants had to say about their DIY experience is below.

 
 

View the photo gallery of the awards presentation.

 
 

Read a sampling of what litigants had to say about their DIY experience in the Bronx County Family Court

"Thank you." - Support Modification Program, July 13, 2010

"Help was excellent. About time the courts helped the fathers. Thank you." - Support Modification Program, July 12, 2010

"Very helpful." - Support Modification Program, July 9, 2010

"This program is very helpful. You have very professional employees. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give you a 10. I hope you stay like that." - Support Modification Program, July 8, 2010

"This system is great and convenient. This system saves a lot of time. The people and their help in the office were very helpful." - Support Modification Program, July 8, 2010

"It was great." - Support Modification Program, July 7, 2010

"Never stop." - Support Modification Program, July 7, 2010

"Staff was very helpful." - Support Modification Program, July 7, 2010

"Very helpful and time saving. Court clerk was very helpful and understanding." - Support Modification Program, July 7, 2010

"Great staff." - Support Modification Program, July 6, 2010

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH! :)" - Support Modification Program, July 6, 2010

"Great service." - Support Modification Program, July 2, 2010

"Great service. Easy to use equipment." - Support Modification Program, July 2, 2010

"I think service was great and the people were very nice. They help a lot. Thank you." - Paternity Program, June 30, 2010

"Miss Anita Bryant was very very nice." - Support Modification Program, June 25, 2010

"The court clerks were very helpful and patient." - Support Modification Program, June 23, 2010

"The staff was very helpful." - Support Modification Program, June 22, 2010

"Excellent service - staff are very helpful. Thank you." - Support Modification Program, June 15, 2010

"Great service." - Support Modification Program, June 14, 2010

"Keep up that good work." - Support Modification Program, June 11, 2010

"Excellent service." - Paternity Program, June 11, 2010

"Staff was kind and very helpful." - Support Modification Program, June 3, 2010

"Service was great." - Support Modification Program, June 2, 2010

"Good work." - Support Modification Program, June 1, 2010

"Your staff was pleasant and helpful." - Support Modification Program, May 28, 2010

"The personnel were pleasant and helpful." - Support Modification Program, May 26, 2010

"Great employee, great service." - Support Modification Program, May 25, 2010

"This is a great idea." - Support Modification Program, May 20, 2010

"Keep up the good work" - Support Modification Program, May 20, 2010

"Keep up the good work - big improvement from previous years." - Support Modification Program, May 20, 2010

"Thanks for your help." - Paternity Program, May 19, 2010

"Sol Santana was very professional and very friendly. That really matters to the public." - Support Modification Program, May 17, 2010

"Court employee was very nice and helpful." - Support Modification Program, May 14, 2010

"Everyone was a blessing. I would like to know what other programs you have." - Support Modification Program, May 13, 2010

"This is very helpful because its not time consuming." - Paternity Program, May 11, 2010

"The person who helped me was a good teacher." - Support Modification Program, May 7, 2010

"Very user friendly." - Support Modification Program, April 27, 2010

"It was very helpful not to wait in line. The clerks were very helpful." - Support Modification Program, April 27, 2010

"This is great. Advertise it." - Support Modification Program, April 23, 2010

"Keep up the good work." - Support Modification Program, April 21, 2010

"Everything's good." - Paternity Program, April 21, 2010

"Good job. Very fast." - Paternity Program, April 20, 2010

"The Court helper was very professional and attentive. She helped me an answered all my questions. They were all extremely wonderful." - Support Modification Program, April 12, 2010

"The help was great. Continue to assist in this professional manner." - Paternity Program, April 12, 2010

"Court worker Rosie was extremely helpful and kind." - Paternity Program, April 9, 2010

"Keep it going." - Support Modification Program, April 8, 2010

"Andre White was very helpful through each step." - Support Modification Program, November 10, 2009

"Mr. Jerome Doss was very pleasant and helpful." - Support Modification Program, August 10, 2009