Every day, thousands of judges and court employees, including clerks, court officers, attorneys and attendants, go above and beyond to provide litigants with access to timely and effective justice. These people are the heart of our judicial system and their daily efforts ensure that no one is denied their day in court. The strength of our heart, however, does not absolve us of our responsibility to ensure that the skeleton of our court system, its very bones, also remains strong enough to support the fair and efficient administration of justice.

To that end, a few months ago, the Chief Judge introduced a plan to increase the strength of our court structure through consolidation. Court restructuring is no small task and it is one that has been attempted several times in the past with little perceptible traction. Proposed movement on any one aspect of the system necessarily—and appropriately—inspires debate on all aspects of the administration of justice. Although those debates should continue, I see in the Chief Judge’s proposed consolidation plan an opportunity to move forward and take important steps necessary to increase diversity, judicial experience, and the community’s voice in their local administration of justice.