Honorable Robert G. M., Jr.
Franklin County Courthouse
355 West Main Street
Malone, New York 12953

Dear Judge M.:

As Law Guardian for many years, I have witness the stress young children face when they must come to Court and wait for their proceedings to be called. This is sometimes an overwhelming experience for youngsters. Overall, the security staff has always been kind to my clients; however, recently they have gone above and beyond their duties to be helpful to my clients. They have prepared a kit with a pad of paper, coloring books, crayons and pencils. This has made my clients, especially my youngest children, very happy and I am very grateful.

It is my understanding that Sergeant Andy G. instituted the idea; however, the other officers, like Officer L., have been supportive of the project. It is important to highlight even the simplest things that make the process a little easier.

Please feel free to pass on my letter. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate it and to acknowledge the security officer's thoughtfulness as well as their professionalism.

With kind personal regards. I remain.

Very truly yours,


Tammy L.
cc: Lieutenant S.

4th Judicial District Administrative Offices
65 South Broadway
Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 12866

Re: MONTGOMERY COUNTY SUPREME COURT

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you regarding the Montgomery County Supreme Court Clerk and supporting staff with whom our office has the distinct pleasure of working with under the supervision of the Honorable Robert T. B.. I recently concluded a highly complex three week Construction Trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse, which involved voluminous amounts of legal paperwork and technical equipment. All of the staff in the Courtroom, more specifically Donna and Tim, were extremely professional, accommodating and a pleasure to work with on a daily basis. In gratitude to them, I am writing this letter to bring their hard work and dedication to the attention of others.

All of the employees at the Montgomery County Supreme Court should be commended for their impressive professionalism. My firm enjoyed working along side everyone, including the security guards, court attendants, bailiffs', stenographer and court clerks. Donna and Tim especially went out of their way daily to ensure that all requests were met. Combined, all of the employee's efforts were exceptional and worthy of high praise.

I hold all of the professionals at the Montgomery County Courthouse in the highest regards and hope that their efforts can somehow be recognized. Thank you for your time in reading this letter and please extend my warm gratitude to all.

Yours truly,

Walter G.

WGB/cb
cc: Montgomery County Supreme Court Clerk

Honorable Judge H.
Warren County Court
1340 State Route 9
Lake George, NY 12845

Dear Judge H.,

I just wanted to let you know that serving on the jury last week was a wonderful experience, thanks to you. The atmosphere in the courtroom was relaxed yet serious. I can't honestly say I enjoyed my other two tours of duty in Warren County Court but this time it was a positive experience.

Keep up the good work and maybe people won't be trying their hardest to get out of jury duty.

Thanks so much,

Maureen

To: Richard E. A., Sr. Court Officer
From: Hildagarde E. M., Commissioner of Jurors
RE: Your Performance

Having large numbers of juors reporting can be a hectic experience on a good day. Add to that mix, large numbers of individuals coming in for drug testing, Family Court litigants, one courtroom short and a juror in a wheelchair with pouring rain outside, and you have the making of a nightmare. The ease with which you and your crew of Court Officers and Court Attendants handled our recent jury term of May 24th was a joy to be hold. Not only did every thing run as smoothly as a well oiled machine, but the juror in the wheelchair was chosen to serve for the case for that week and had a wonderful experience. His handicap was no handicap at all for your term, and I wanted you to know how much your hard work was appreciated by this Jury Commissioner. Thank you.

cc: Marilyn F. J., Executive Assistant
Lt. Alan M.

Marilyn F. J.
Executive Assistant
Fourth Judicial District Administrative Offtce
65 South Broadway -Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear MS J.:

I recently had the opportunity to transcribe several tapes from one particular case that was held in Montgomery County Family Court before the Honorable Philip V. C.. These hearings took place over a time span of several months.

I am writing to say that I was very impressed with the way Judge C. conducted each one of these hearings/trials in his Courtroom. Each case began with a Court Offtcer announcing each hearing, the case number, names, etc., and then had each party present in the Courtroom identifjr themselves for the record. I can't tell you how helpful that is to a transcriber.

From my three-and-a-half years of preparing transcripts I can tell you this is very rarely done and I just want to express my appreciation of Judge C.. It makes my job easier and more pleasurable to prepare the transcripts accurately.

Very truly yours,

Donna S.
Owner/Transcriber

Geraldine B., Chief Clerk
Fulton County Family Court
11 N. William St.
Johnstown, NY 12095

Dear MS B.:

This letter is long overdue. A few months ago I had a problem that I needed your help with regarding being compensated for a transcript I prepared at the request of an attorney from Fulton County. I was unable to make contact with this attorney as she was either not accepting my telephone calls nor answering messages I had left with her secretary.

I telephoned you to ask for your assistance and due to scheduling, you were about to leave town on an official matter and referred me to a member of your staff, Patricia E.

I am writing to inform you that I was very impressed with MS E.'s assistance as she immediately took action to resolve my problem. She was not only able to make contact with this attorney but she also was able to rectify my problem by having the attorney forward the proper paperwork to me so that I could be compensated for my work.

I am very grateful for her assistance and just wanted to let you know that not only was she helpful and friendly but extremely professional in the way she handled the entire situation.

Thank you, again, for your help in this matter and that of Patricia E. as well. You can rest assured that when it is necessary for you to delegate the management of your office in your absence that you have put your trust in the right person to do the job well.

Very truly yours,

Donna S.
Owner/Transcriber

Marilyn F. J.
Executive Assistant
Fourth Judicial District
65 South Broadway Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866

Dear Marilyn:

As you know, just recently I was given the opportunity to participate in a week long session to train several staff personnel in the Fourth Judicial District. The training involved the Support module in Court Activity and the Support Calculations module, the newest builds of the Universal Case Management System. The group selected to present this training consisted of Wendy W., Susan B., Denise R. and myself. My experience with training staff on a formal basis was presenting the Quality Service in the Courts Module I series, as a lone trainer. The UCMS Support Module was my first experience as a member of a team. This letter is written to express a few of my thoughts and feelings about these co-trainers.

I have had first hand experience with Denise R.'s training ability, since she was the person who trained me in Computer Systems operations in Family Court. In her first formal training experience, she was remarkably poised, confident and knowledgeable. Wendy W. and Susan B. are the District professionals and that was well proven. After attending a one day cursory preview at RTP, Wendy was able to communicate the program to Sue and by the next days end, the two had put together a training program for us to follow. They outlined the subject matter to be presented, set up case scenario examples, incorporated other useful pieces of information they knew would be pertinent to the material being taught, and finally developed a workshop, along with equipment set to generate the participants'cases and forms. There were hand outs and a forum to elicit comments and suggestions to be sent on to RTP for their information. All of the participants seemed genuinely interested in giving their input.

Having had this experience, I realize the time, preparation and ability that is required to put together a week-long training session. I would like to commend our Dlistrict Office Computer Techs for their efforts, professionalism, intelligence and hard work.

Very truly yours,

AnneMarie

Proud of North country

TO THE EDITOR: Having spent two full days watching the David W. judicial hearin, let me say how well every employee I encountered on the third floor of the Clinton County Courthouse does his or her job. All the security people were polite, patient and alert, all the court personnel were professional in their demeanor and interacted well with the public and County Judge Timothy L. presided with a firm hand, a humane style and reassuring attention to judicial detail.

With the courtroom crammed with people from New York City, Montreal, the Chinese Embassy and the locaI area, I was proud of the view of the North Country these employees projected.

Many of us were also impressed by how well your reporters handled a diffiocult assignment. Anna J. and Steven B. managed to distill each day's many witnesses and hours of testimony into concise and easy-to-follow prose that accu rately recountad both the drama and the content of the events.

Now we all await the next step in this exceptional case that may end up freeing a man who appears to have been wrongly convicted of a murder that one eyewitness after another testified be never committed.

Lee C.
Morrisonville
Press-Republican

Melissa M.
Family Court
5th Floor
620 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305

Dear Melissa,

I'd like to thank you and everyone in the family court for the opportunity to work with you. Personal problem have prevented me from stopping by to see you all. I hope to get a chance soon.

We are very fortunate in schenectady County to have a group of dedicated people doing a job efficiently, unfortunally our local media, via Radio, display a negative attitude toward state employees and the court system. These sayers should watch someone like Carrie Lou H. for a week to see what really happens everyday. She is a fine example of many others cut from the same cloth.

Best Regards

Bill

Marilyn J.
Executive Assistant
New York State Unified Court System
Fourth Judicial District
65 South Broadway
Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Marilyn:

Pursuant to our discussion of April 3 enclosed is a letter we received from the New York State Ranger School. I thought you may find it of interest.

Very truly yours,
Debra A. D.
Chief Clerk

DAD: ljd

Honorable Kathleen R. Probate Court St. Lawrence County Court House Canton, New York 13617 Re: Ranger School -Trip to St. Lawrence County Court House The students and I want to thank you for your help and presentation during our recent visit. This visit is an important part of their education as future surveyors. The residents of this county are fortunate to have public offcials as helpful and as gracious as you and your assistants are. Over the last 50 years I have dealt with governmental officers in several states and in a few foreign countries. The officers of St. Lawrence County are as pleasant as the best. Thanks again. Sincerely yours, Geoge B., L.S. Visiting Instructor

 

Hon. Vincent J. R., Jr.
Supreme Court Chambers
Schenectady County Courthouse
612 State Street
Schenectady, New York 12305

I just wanted to dash off a brief note of appreciation with regard to the way you handled the Golden trial. It was refreshing to be in the presence of lawyers who attacked the proof instead of each other. Moreover, I know that all counsel appreciated the courtesies that you extended to us and our witnesses throughout the trial. My appreciation also extends to all of the court personnel who make it a pleasure to practice in Schenectady.

Many thanks once again.

Cordially yours,

Terry

Mrs. Jacquelyn R.
RD 6 Rowland Street
Ballston Spa, NY 12020

RE: Services at Montgomery County Family Court, Fonda, New York

Dear Jackie:

I want to thank you for the diligent and professional services you provided to us in Montgomery County Family Court over the past many weeks.

It was a pleasure working with you and I look forward to working with you in the future.

Very truly yours,

PHILIP V. C.
Family Court Judge

PVC/if

cc: Hon. Jan H. P., Administrative District Judge
Ms. Barbara A. T., Human Resources Department
Montgomery County Family Court
Attention: Mrs. Donna L. C., Chief Clerk

Miss Karen D.
Schenectady City Court
531 Liberty Street
Schenectady, NY 12305

Dear Karen:

I write this letter as your supervisor and wish to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude for your dedication and quality service you have given to Schenectady City Court not only yesterday, but every day of every week. This week we are short staffed due to the budget restraints, vacations and my absence with the flu. On your own, you went beyond the call of duty. You came in on Tuesday morning at 5 AM as you new there would be many arrests from the holiday weekend. However, this is not unusual for you. You care so much about you job, that you will do anything to get the work done.

Every day you handle your job, as well as dedicate yourself to everyone else in this office and help everyone in this office to make their jobs a little easier. You handle the public at the window which is no easy task. The quality service you give is 150% all the time. You handle yourself with a professional attitude at all times. I am very fortunate to have an employee such as yourself.

Because this is not the first time you have shown such dedication, I just wanted you to know that all your efforts to help maintain this court are greatly appreciated.

Karen, keep up the great work ethic and a smile. You deserve much more than this letter.

Sincerely,

Patricia A. J.
CHIEF CLERK

Honorable Jan P.
Unified Court System -4th Judicial District
65 South Broadway, Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Honorable P.:

On behalf of the Capital Region State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA), I would like to express my personal thanks to you and your agency's employees for their heartfelt support of this year's campaign. This year's fund raising efforts presented more and greater challenges. Your employees responded by supporting eharities locally, statewide, nationally and around the world and have touched many lives.

Serving as your agency's Loaned Executive this year has been personally gratifying to me. I particularly enjoyed working with your campaign team, especially Lisa B.. Through her dedication and hard work, the Unified Court System -4th Judicial District raised a total of $4,039 as of December 31.

Once again, on behalf of myself and the thousands of people who will be helped by the generous support from the employees of the Unified Court System -4th Judicial District, THANK YOU.

Sincerely,

Karen J.
SEFA Loaned Executive

cc: Lisa B.

The Honorable Michael C. E.
County Judicial Building
Schenectady, New York 12305

Honorable Michael C. E.:

I have received your letter dated October 29, thanking me for my participation serrving as a juror in the criminal case The People v Noel T. H..

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, your staff, security and the Honorable Polly H. for making this temporary transition while serving as a juror as convenient as possible.

The professionalism, courtesy and consideration displayed made one feel less stressful and secure. My reservations about being a juror where quickly swept away because of you: staff and security. The Honorable H. also made being a juror an easy transition as a result of her thoughtfulness and consideration of our situation. She was always concerned for our well being and let it be known. Her professionalism on the bench also set the tone and her patience was unflappable.

It became very obvious from the first moment that your staff was experienced and took pride in their responsibilities. The security personnel also ensured that our well being was of utmost importance and that is truly appreciated.

Please convey my sincere appreciation to your staff, security and the Honorable H. for making this important duty as pleasant as possible. They certainly deserve to be recognized and know they are appreciated.

Russell A. C.
Colonel, The Adjutant General Corps
New York Army National Guard

Ms. Lynda B.
Washington County Family Court
353 Broadway
Fort Edward, New York 12828

Dear Ms. B.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the Project's success. This took a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part.

I appreciate all your hard work on the project, your ability to yet along with everyone and your flexibility with the assignments. With a project such as this where committee members had to work in close quarters and where everyday had a different mission, being able to get aIong and beins flexible was critical.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla

pc: Hon. Philip A. B.
Hon. Gordon M. H., Jr.
Patricia A. R.
Personnel File

Ms. Tami B.
Franklin County Courthouse
355 West Main Street
Malone, New York 12953

Dear Ms. B.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

It has been noted that you were very hard working, focused and committed to the project. Your aptitude for writing Macros and Global edits in DB Master saved an extensive amount of time and effort for the members of the committee. This helped us to meet many tight deadlines that may have been missed without the use of these formulas. You were an essential committee member, being called upon to help with the installation process. You clearly stood out as a team member who took responsibility and pride in your work. The centralized location of the committee's work required you to stay a long distance from your home and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

HP/j la
pc: Hon. Robert G. M., Jr.
Gertrude A. M.
Personnel File

Ms. Marilyn B.
Clinton County Government Center
137 Margaret Street
Plattsburgh, New York 12901

Dear Ms. B.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

It has been noted that you were very hard working, focused and committed to the project. Your aptitude for writing Macros and Global edits in DB Master saved an extensive amount of time and effort for the members of the committee. This helped us to meet many tight deadlines that may have been missed without the use of these formulas. You were an essential committee member when dealing with the installation process in several courts in the district. The centralized location of the committee's work required you to stay a long distance from your home and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla

pc: Hon. Timothy J. L.
Jan L.
Personnel File

Ms. Araina E.
Hamilton County Court Chambers
White Birch Lane
Indian Lake, New York 12842

Dear Ms. E.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

Your attention to detail, ability to think through problems and commitment to the project were essential to its progress. The centralized location of the committee's work required you to drive quite a long distance daily and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. S. Peter F.
Catherine L.
Personnel File

Ms. Lisa C.
St. Lawrence County Courthouse
48 Court Street
Canton. New York 13617

Dear Ms. C.:

Now that the UCMS Lmplementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the Project's success. This took a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part.

It was brought to my attention that your court required several unique edits that needed to be made individually by hand. You made yourself available when the time came to complete these data requirements. I realize that you were not available weekly for these meetings, but I want to thank you for your dedication at the beginning of the project and your availability when the committee was editing the St. Lawrence data.

In conclusion, your courts conversion to UCMS and the ten other counties in the Fourth District were an overwhelming success due to your personal involvement. I again would like to thank you for your professionalism and dedication to this project.

I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. Barbara P.
William R. M.
Personnel File

Ms. Rebecca G.
Montgomery County Courthouse
58 Broadway
Fonda, New York 12068

Dear Ms. G.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

It has been noted that you were very hard working, focused and committed to the project. You were called upon to help with the installation of several courts in our district. Not only were you a key player on these UCMS installs, you helped spearhead many court specific projects. For example, you along with the Schenectady UCMS representative researched numerous records that needed additional data cleansing prior to implementation that otherwise would have been lost in the conversion. This was completed with no data loss.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. Joseph D. W.
Donna L. Ca.
Personnel File

Ms. Kimberly C.
Secretary to Justice
Supreme Court Chambers
Route 9
Malta, New York 12020

Dear Ms. C.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

It has been brought to my attention that you were very hard working, focused and quick on the keyboard. Your speed and accuracy was very important to this mission considering the volume of records to be reviewed and edited for each county and the many deadlines you and the other committee members successfully met.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. Courtenay W. H.
Susan P. S.
Personnel File

Ms. Denise R.
Schenectady County Family Court
612 State Street
Schenectady, New York 12305

Dear Ms. R.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

Your attention to detail, ability to think through problems, and commitment to the project were essential to it's progress. In particular, being the representative of the largest county in our district, you carried the responsibility of researching and correcting numerous records which would have been lost in the conversion had they not been corrected. You truly stood out as a team member who took responsibility and pride in your work.
The centralized location of the committee's work required you to drive quite a long distance daily and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. Jo Anne A.
Melissa M.
Personnel File

Ms. Kim M.
Warren County Family Court
Municipal Center
State Route 9
Lake George, New York 12845

Dear Ms. M.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attentior to detail and dedication to this project.

It has also been noted that you were an important team player who was able to liven up the team when the work got tedious. This may not seem like such a critical contribution, but with a long-term project such as this one, it truly was important to break up the monotony thus, keeping morale high and helping to keep productivity up. I would also like to thank you for your work on court installations. I hear you were able to fit into many different court settings easily while assisting the court where ever needed.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. J. Timothy B.
AnneMarie L.
Personnel File

Ms. Linda W.
Essex County Courthouse
7559 Court Street
Elizabethtown, New York 12932

Dear Ms. W.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

It was brought to my attention that you were given the task of searching the courts array fields for proper Judges'initials and Purpose codes. As I understand it, this was the single most meticulous task in converting the data. It was explained to me that this conversion step directly impacted upon the error report and if not done properly would produce enormous data loss. Given that the Fourth District's data files were routinely referred to as among the cleanest data in the state, I know that you were both focused and disciplined while working on each courts scheduling array. The centralized location of the committee's work required you to stay a long distance from your home and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your fixture endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. Andrew H.
Darlene K. G.
Personnel File

Ms. Dolores B.
Fulton County Office Building
223 West Main Street
Johnstown, New York 12095

Dear Ms. B.:

Now that the UCMS Implementation Project for the Family Courts has come to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the success of this. Not only did you work on the data files from your court but on those for the entire Fourth District as well, a task involving a great amount of flexibility, patience and knowledge on your part. When each new court was introduced into the data cleansing procedure, you took into account the differences in data quality to make sure that no records were lost in the conversion. With thousands of records presented daily, this was no easy task. I commend you for your attention to detail and dedication to this project.

Your attention to detail, ability to think through problems, and commitment to the project were essential to its progress. The centralized location of the committee's work required you to drive quite a long distance daily and I do appreciate the sacrifice you made to travel in order to accomplish this mission.

In conclusion, the UCMS conversion process was a success due to your personal involvement. I have no doubt that you will continue to be an asset to both your court and to the Fourth Judicial District. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge

JHP/jla
pc: Hon. David F. J..
Geraldine A. B.
Personnel File

Clerk of the Court
Correspondence Unit
Supreme Court of The State of New York
in and for Franklin County
63 West Main Street, P. O. Box 70
Malone, New York, 12953

Re: M. v. G.

Dear Clerk of the Court:

Enclosed please find the original and one copy of an Article 78 petition. I have attached a money order in the amount of $170.00 to cover the filing fee. I have attached the Index sheet and request for judicial intervention forms. I have served the respondents under separate cover. Please file same with the court on my behalf. I thank you and your staff for your time and attention regarding this request.
I am especially impressed with clerk Lise J., who was extremely helptil to me, regarding your local rules. She is a credit to the court and her professionalism, deserves special mention.

Very truly yours;

Sara G.
Attorney at Law
Pro Bono Counsel.

The Honorable Robert G. M., Jr.
Family Court Judge of Franklin County
Franklin County Courthouse
355 West Main Street
Malone, NY 12953-1801

Dear Judge M.:

Let me express my appreciation to you, and to Ms. M., for your consideration to me on the morning of September 17, when I traveled to the Franklin County Courthouse to hear a "Support Court" tape which I would not, but for your consideration in getting me into the Courtroom, have had the opportunity to hear. It came at a time where the schedule pressure of my impending nuptials, and the following week away, was making every minute count, all day and well into the evenings.

Please convey my thanks to Ms. M., also, for her consideration, her bearing with me as I listened to the tape, and her "helpful hints" on avoiding similar quandaries in the future.

Very truly yours,

The Ingram Law Firm

Mr. David P. M., Esq.
2001 Central Avenue
Albany, NY 12205

Dear Mr. M.:

Thank you for taking the time to convey to us the excellent service provided by the Honorable Harry W. S., Jr. and his staff. I will insure that a copy of your letter is placed in each
individual's personnel file. We also have a web site concerning customer service, and a District newsletter. Your letter will be included in these, as well.

Again, thank you.

Very Truly Yours,

Ronald M. S., Jr.

Honorable Jan H. P., District Administrative Judge
Honorable Harry W. S., Jr. and staff

Mr. Ronald S.
Executive Administrative Assistant
Fourth Judicial District
65 South Broadway
Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 12866

Dear Mr. S.:

At a time when it is so easy to criticize or complain about the workings of the Court system, I felt I should take the opportunity to single out for special merit Hon. Harry S., Saratoga County Surrogate Judge, and his staff, including his Law assistant Margaret K., Esq.

This is the second time in the past three years when I have had matters of some urgency in the court, and the court went out of its way to assist my office and my clients in resolving these difficulties. Judge S. and his office should serve as a model of a user friendly court. He and his staff should be commended on the excellent service provided, and The Office of Court Administration should take special notice of Judge S.. I will always be Grateful for the assistance provided to my office.

Respectfully,

David P. M., Esq.

Cc: Hon. Harry S. and staff

Donna M.
Saratoga County Supreme and County Courts
30 McMaster Street
Ballston Spa, NY 12020

Dear Donna:

I take this opportunity to thank you for serving as a faculty member at the 2002 Court Reporter Seminars.

Your presentation was not only educational and practical, but also served to inspire your fellow court reporters. The content clearly reflected extensive preparation and personal commitment to court reporting services. Your contribution truly added to the success of the seminar.

Please be assured that we will call upon your expertise and training ability to assist us with future workshops and seminars. Thank you for taking the time from your schedule to share your knowledge and experience. You are to be commended for your dedication.

Very truly yours,

cc: Ronald S.

Elizabeth T.
Chief Clerk
Saratoga City Court
City Hall, Suite 3
474 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866-2295

RE: Cohoes Project

Dear Ms. T.:

I would like to personally thank you for your unselfish commitment to improve conditions in Cohoes City Court. At the outset, this project was an enormous undertaking. Your enthusiasm, devotion, sound counsel and operational expertise are the catalysts for creating positivechanges in this court.

I am truly impressed by all of the accomplishments thus far. Many of these achievements are the result of your cooperation and team spirit since the start of this project. Without your involvement, we would not have been able to accomplish so many positive changes. We were very fortunate to have you appointed to the project team and the court system is fortunate to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable individual as part of the larger team. I know Felicia holds you in high esteem and looks forward to working with you during the remaining phases.

I appreciate your taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in this special project. Thank you, again, for all your hard work. With kind personal regards, I remain

Very truly yours,

Thomas W. K.
Administrative Judge
Third Judicial District


cc: Honorable Jan H. P.
Dr. Ronald M. S.
Peter R., Esq.

Ron S.
Executive Assistant
4th Judicial District and Quentin Woods
Principal PC Analyst

I have worked as a Court Assistant in this district for seven years and have served as Schenectady County Family Court's "Systems Manager" for the last three. As the Systems Manager, one of my duties is to be the "go to" person for the staff when they have computer-related problems, and act as a liaison between court staff and the Help Desk. With UCMS coming next week, my job is likely to change and our Court will be dealing directly with RTP more often (I think). Therefore, I feel this is an appropriate time to let you know that there are two members of the automation team who have made my life much easier, Wendy W. and Dustin S.

Wendy has outstanding patience. She has "walked me through" (over the phone)many processes. I prefer this method as I can learn to "fix" these things in the future without have to bother the busy automation staff. Yesterday she helped me change around the columns in the address book so I could print out a list of local attorneys and address to compare them with UCMS's attorney module. We ran into a couple problems and I had many questions but she stayed with me the whole time like she didn't have anything else going on. This has happened a few times and I feel the same way always.

Dustin is accessible to the staff on all levels. He will be here to perform a particular task and staff members ask him to adjust something minor on their machine, which he will do cheerfully and quickly. He is so knowledgeable that it takes him about ten seconds. He is also constantly answering questions, in plain language that the staff can understand. It does not seem to bother him that we are interrupting him working on his assigned project. I am always grateful to see him.

I hope I carry enough clout to sing the praises of Wendy and Dustin. Not only are these individuals are extremely knowledgeable in their respective areas (software and hardware), but more importantly they treat the staff with respect, are patient, and willing to go the extra mile. If they are unable to answer a question, they will get back to the staff promptly after researching the problem. These traits are invaluable in a Court that moves at the speed of light and cannot spend time cleaning up bottlenecks that occur when there is a computer glitch.

Thank you for your time.

Jill L.

Honorable Jan P.
Unified Court System -4th Judicial District
65 South Broadway, Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Honorable P.:

On behalf of the Capital Region State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA), I would like to express my personal thanks to you and your agency's employees for their heartfelt support of this year's campaign. This year's fund raising efforts presented more and greater challenges. The events of September 11th made us look beyond ourselves and reach out further than we may have in the past. Your employees responded by supporting charities locally, statewide, nationally and around the world and have touched many lives.

Serving as your agency's Loaned Executive this year has been personally gratifying to me. I particularly enjoyed working with your campaign team, especially Lisa B.. Through her dedication and hard work, the Unified Court System- 4th Judicial District raised a total of $4,168 as of December 31.

Once again, on behalf of myself and the thousands of people who will be helped by the generous support from the employees of the Unified Court System- 4th Judicial District, THANK YOU.

Sincerely,

Karen Johns F
SEFA Loaned Executive

State of New York
Unified Court System
Fourth Judicial District
65 South Broadway -Suite 101
Saratoga Springs New York 12866

Attention: Ronald M S., Jr.
Executive Assistant
Re: Marge E.

Dear Ron:

I feel compelled to write (in the most wonderful sense) to you about Marge. I sent her an e-mail Wednesday afternoon regarding problems that Tambrie was having with her wrists and would it be possible to try to get a keyboard tray. This is not the fast time I have tried to purchase a tray and in fact have had a vendor here investigating that possibility. Marge immediately e-mailed me and suggested that I could get a local vendor, purchase it at staples or someplace else and see if the city would install the same. I e-mailed back that I did not want the city to install anything, if possible and indicated that I would try to purchase one that evening or would purchase one the next day. Marge and I spoke on the telephone and thereafter it was decided that Marge (on her own time) would purchase one or several trays and would come here the next morning and install the same.

This is the kind of service that we receive universally from your office. Everyone is extremely helpful and cooperative and it is always a pleasure to work with your staff.

I am writing this because I think that when we speak about Quality Service it starts at home and is alive and w. ell in your office and I would like to commend Marge E. for certainly going above and beyond the call of duty.
Thank You Marge.

You are free to share this letter with Marge and post it on the Internet if you desire.

Very truly yours,

Theresa S. L.
Court Clerk

Ms. Lynn B.
Supreme Court Library
Clinton Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Dear Lynn:

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful assistance on November 2 when I brought my Legal Office Procedures class from Clinton Community College to the library for a tour. I was simply expecting to take the students in and show them around myself, trying not to be a bother, but you took the lead and gave: them a very comprehensive review of what the library has to offer. I believe it was a great help to them to listen to someone other than the same old teacher describe the various case reporters and treatises. We had discussed many of these texts in class but I think the purpose of these books really clicked when you showed them to the students and described their content in basic English.

I was also glad to get to know you a bit as I had not been to the library in some time and was anxious to meet the new librarian. It already appears that you have done a great deal of work organizing and improving the library and, as an attorney in the community, I want to express my appreciation for that as well. I will probabljr be visiting the library more often in the coming months and look forward to seeing you.

Very truly yours,

Kathleen R. I., Esq.

Hon. Jan H. P.
Administrative Judge
Unified Court System
4th Judicial District
65 South Broadway -Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866

Re: Court Security -Glens Falls City Court

Dear Judge P.:

I am writing to advise that the implementation of the new security systems and personnel at our court has gone extremely well and almost without incident. The transition has been amazingly smooth in large measure due to the efforts of scan M., Barry L., Colin F. and Peter C.. I have been particularly impressed with the expertise of Sean M. and his willingness, without exception to accommodate our requests. It has been a pleasure to once again work with him.

The choice of Joseph A., Harry M. and Wayne S. as court security officers I predict will prove to be a good one. Their efforts and expertise have also allowed for the smooth transition.

Please thank Barbara T. for her efforts during this period of transition. On behalf of everyone here at Glens Falls City Court. Thank you.

Very truly yours,

David B. K.
City Court Judge

Ms. Patricia A. J., Chief Clerk
Schenectady City Court Rm. #215
City Hall
Jay St.
Schenectady NY 12305

Dear Ms. Jordan:

I am writing to compliment you on your fine employee, Mr. Charles B. I have been in your office many times and have never found Mr. B. to be anything less than cooperative, knowledgeable and professional. He makes the tiresome process of scheduling court dates a little more bearable and the drudgery of completing and filing legal documents a little less onerous.

Mr. B. is a credit to the legal process and to public service both of which, in my opinion, could be vastly improved.

Sincerely,
Marianne S.

Hon. Carolyn E. H.
Chief Clerk,
30 McMaster St.,
Ballston Spa, NY 12020

Dear Madam Clerk:

I am writing to thank you and your staff for the prompt and courteous response I received for a records request recently. I am sorry I did not retain the name of the individual clerk who assisted me. She not only provided me with the information I requested from your office, but without being asked provided me with copies of documents from a separate office in your courthouse. This additional information is actually what I needed to address my issue here in Florida.

Anyway, it is unfortunate that such professional courtesy and efficiency is so unusual these days. You seem to have a great staff with a rare and wounderful trait -- being able to do an excellent job of serving the public, and actually seeming happy to do so.

If I or my office here in Flagler County can ever be of assistance to you please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Irwin A. C.,
APD

The employee who performed this service were:

Mary M. L., Sr. Court Clerk
Patti D., Principal Office Typist

Carolyn E. Hall
Chief Clerk

Hon. Jan H. P.
District Administrative Judge
Fourth Judicial District
Administrative Office
Lincoln Baths Building
P.O. Box 4370
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866

Re: Kim K. N.
Supreme Court Reporter
Supreme Court, Montgomery County

Dear Judge P.:

I write about my recent experience in Supreme Court, Montgomery County where Ms. Kim N. acted as the court reporter. Often those persons working in our Courts do not receive the credit that they deserve. I have never written a letter concerning the performance of court personnel, but in this instance it would be a grievous oversight on my part if I did not do so.

I noticed the high quality of Ms. N.'s work because I did not notice her during the proceedings; in other words, she recorded the proceeding, which were at times contentious, without once stopping those proceedings to tell the lawyers to slow down, speak up or do any of the other things that reporters unfortunately often do, interruptions that disrupt the ebb and flow of a trial.

I have been practicing law in this State for more than twenty-eight (28) years. During those years I have tried many case and conducted many hearings and depositions in both State and Federal Courts. Without questions, Ms. N. is the most competent and professional court reporter I have ever had the pleasure working with.

 

Honorable W. Dennis D., J. F. C.
Albany County Family Court
One Van Tromp Street
Albany, NY 12207

Dear Judge D.:

Thank you for your kind letter of April 3 regarding the Orientation and Training Manual. It was a significant undertaking by a truly dedicated group of Family Court leaders, including:

Bonnie D. -Chief Clerk, Clinton County Family Court
Darlene G. -Chief Clerk, Essex County Family Court
Catherine L. -Chief Clerk, Hamilton County Family Court
William M. -Chief Clerk, St. Lawrence County Family Court
Melissa M. -Deputy Chief Clerk, Schenectady County Family Court

They were ably assisted and encouraged by Marilyn J. and Susan W. of the District Administrative Office, and Maria B. of the Office of Trial Court Operations.

I have taken the liberty of sending a copy of your letter to the participants and their judges, and placing a copy in their personnel files.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write to me on this topic.

Very Truly Yours,

Ronald M. S., Jr.

Ron M. S., Jr., Executive Assistant
NYS OCA -4th Judicial District
65 South Broadway -Suite 101
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866

Dear Ron:

I wanted to compliment you and extend my thanks for providing us with copies of your operation and training manual. This is a most impressive document and I hope that Albany County Family Court can produce a similar product quickly by appropriating the major portion of your efforts.

I have been trying to get us to produce a similar handbook in Albany County Family Court for the last eight years. The fact that we still do not have one is a testament to the enormous amount of work that you and your Staff did to produce this. So, my hat is off to you in every respect.

Best regards,

W. Dennis D., J. F. C.
WDD: lm
cc: Hon. Jan H. P.

Honorable KathIeen R.
Surrogate Court
48 Court Street
Canton, NY 13617

Dear Judge R.:

Another Ranger School class has visited the St. Lawrence County offices in Canton. This is an important part of their training to be future surveyors. I wish to thank you for the special consideration shown to the students and to me.

I have been a public officer in various positions for almost fifty years. During that time I have met and worked with many other pubIic officials, some good, some so-so, and some that could do better.

The people at the St. Lawrence County complex are among the very best that I have met.

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Visiting Instructor

Hon. Jan H. F.
4th Judicial District
Administrative Office
Lincoln Baths Building
F. O. 4370
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866

RE: Saratoga County Supreme Court Officers

Dear Justice P.:

This letter is forwarded to alert you to the excellent service being rendered by Court Officers Scott C., Bill B. and Peter C. for the Saratoga County Supreme Court. Recently we had a three (3)week medical malpractice trial before Justice Williams which, as you might imagine, involved numerous exhibits, demonstrative aides and papers. Messrs. C., B. and C. were always ready to help both sides in terms of making available the court equipment necessary to present each sides'proof to the jury. Each of these gentlemen were extremely courteous to all attorneys (there were seven attorneys involved), the parties, witnesses and jurors in this matter and were very helpful in having the proceedings move forward in a smooth and seamless fashion. It goes without saying that their efforts were greatly appreciated by our firm and I am sure by all attorneys, parties and witnesses involved. It is because of such individuals that the court process in this matter moved smoothly with all participants, including jurors by our communication with them, believing the civil justice process worked well in this matter. It goes without saying that we, as trial practitioners, are most appreciative of the courtesies and civility extended by Messrs. C., B. and C. to all involved in this lengthy trial and wished to ensure that their efforts did not go unnoticed or unacknowledged. We have tried cases in multiple courts in the third and fourth judicial districts and can unequivocally state that these gentlemen provide service among the very best.

We would liketo think that this letter would generate a "pat on the back" to individuals who are rarely in the limelight but without whom our court process could not function.

Respectfully,

The Willcox Firm
Robert D. W., ESQ.
Charles J. W., ESQ.

Honorable Jan P.
Fourth Judicial District
Lincoln Baths Building
P. O. Box 4370
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Honorable P.:

On behalf of the State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA), I would like to express my personal thanks to you and your agency's employees for their heartfelt support of this year's campaign.

Serving as your agency's Loaned Executive this year has been personally gratifying to me. I particularly enjoyed working with:

Jacklyn R. -Saratoga Family Court; Gloria M. -Saratoga County Municipal Court; Kathleen L. -Washington County Supreme & County Court; Shirley F. -Warren County Municipal Center; Francine B. -Mechanicville City Court; Theresa L. -Glens Falls City Court and Lisa G.- Court Administration. Through their dedication and hard work, the Fourth Judicial District raised a total of $1,990 as of December 31.

Once again, on behalf of myself and the thousands of people who will be helped by the generous support from the employees of the Fourth Judicial District, THANK YOU.

Sincerely,

Karen J.
Loaned Executive

Hon. Jan H. P., Administrative Judge
New York State Unified Court System
Fourth Judicial District
65 SouthBroadwaySuite 101
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Judge P.:

I am a member of the firm of Beebe, Grossman & Bergins, LLP, with offices in Clifton Park, Rotterdam and White Plains. Our firm represents the Town of Rotterdam in a tax certiorari proceeding brought by General Electric Company. The case was recently tried before the Hon. William H. K., JHO. The trial took 39 days and a transcript in excess of 7,000 pages was developed.

My primary involvement in the trial was cross-examination of one of the principal witnesses for Petitioner. This cross-examination lasted for a period of ten trial days. The transcript of the record was handled by a team of excellent Court Reporters, Mary Ann R. and Karen H., who alternated duties, one transcribing the morning session until the morning break, the other transcribing the remainder of the morning session, and then alternating similarly during the afternoon.

Since I required daily copy in order to prepare for each of the following day's crossexamination, I found the transcript system most efficient, serving to facilitate my trial preparation. Because of the alternation of the reporters, I was even able, on occasion when required, to obtain instant copy of testimony on the day it was given.

I believe that the rotating schedule used by Ms. R. and H. was most effective and would be particularly useful in lengthy trials where witnesses will be on the stand for more than a day and where daily copy transcripts are needed to assist counsel. I would add that Ms. R. and H. were exceptionally skilled, accommodating, extremely careti and conscientious, and a pleasure to work with.

PBB: lr

Marilyn F. J., Executive Assistant

Fourth Judicial District, Administrative Office

65 South Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Dear Marilyn,

On behalf of presiding Justice C. and our Third Department planning committee, thank you for all the work and care you and your Fourth District staff put into Friday's judicial seminar at the Spa State Park.

Special thanks to Kelly for her work at the site on the day of the seminar. Please let all of your staff know that your office contributed greatly to the success of the program and that their work is appreciated.

Regards,

Edward O. S., Presiding Justice