Judge Hines honored for reducing domestic violence

American Judges Association creates Judge Elizabeth Hines Award By Jo Mathis Legal News If 15th District Court Judge Elizabeth Hines looks just a bit tired on this late afternoon in her chambers overlooking downtown Ann Arbor, it's understandable. Hines was up past midnight preparing for 36 cases on that day's domestic violence docket. "The actually hearing doesn't necessarily take that long for a review, but there's the preparation for it--I need to review all the materials, be up to speed, and know exactly what's going on," she said. That diligence, passion, and concern for every individual standing before her has been recognized by the American Judges Association, which recently established the annual Judge Elizabeth Hines Award honoring judges who've taken innovative steps to reduce domestic violence. "Judge Hines is known throughout this nation as one of the most committed and effective judicial leaders in the effort to reduce domestic violence," said Kevin Burke, immediate past president of the American Judges Association, in a statement announcing the award. "The award was established in her name because she is a role model for other judges." Hines was the obvious first winner - to everyone but Hines. "I was just shocked and honored beyond belief that they created the award and then they gave it to me," she said. "I can't even say it's everything I've ever dreamed of, because frankly, I never dreamed anything like that would ever happen to me in my lifetime." Hines said she shares the award with many others in Washtenaw County who have also worked hard to address important social issues, creating a safer community in the process. While she handles both the Domestic Violence Court and Street Outreach Court for those who are homeless or in danger of becoming so, Judge Joe Burke runs the Sobriety Court, and Judge Chris Easthope has started a new special court for veterans. "These are problem-solving courts," she said. "We don't just process cases. We actually try to get at what's causing this, so they don't come back again. I think we've had really great success." All cases are important, she said, but domestic violence and drunk driving can lead to serious injury or death. Specialized programs address those, and the underlying conditions that lead to criminal behavior. According to Judge Joe Burke, Hines is the "best and most hidden treasure our legal community has." He admits he's biased because he's known her since 1982 and considers her a dear friend. But that bias doesn't mean he's wrong, he added. Hines' work in domestic violence goes back more than 25 years. During the 15 years she worked for former Washtenaw County prosecutor Bill Delhey, Hines was assigned to juvenile court and she represented Delhey on related boards, where she learned a lot about domestic violence and the agencies that helped victims. Back then, police didn't have the legal authority to arrest the perpetrators. "They would separate them, and have him walk around the block," she said. Burke says Hines, as well as Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie and former Washtenaw County Sheriff Ron Schebil, took on domestic violence when it wasn't a popular cause. Law enforcement, judges and lawyers had to be convinced that the way ''spouse abuse'' was being handled was ineffective, and worse, dangerous, he said. "It's handled like a crime now, instead of some annoyance, which is how it used to be treated in the bad old days - by everybody," he said. That didn't happen overnight, he said. "And the reason that people's views and ideas have changed about it is because of people like Libby, who took it seriously years and years ago and came up with systems to deal with it," said Burke. Published: Thu, Dec 27, 2012

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