Dedham — Superior Court Judge Isaac Borenstein today was honored with an Award for Leadership from the National Center for State Courts of Williamsburg, Virginia, for his extraordinary efforts and achievements in helping to ensure access to the courts for non-English speaking litigants.  The special award was presented by David Steelman, NCSC Principal Court Management Consultant, at a ceremony held in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham among Judge Borenstein’s family, court colleagues, and friends.            

          “Judge Borenstein has provided leadership of such excellence that the Massachusetts courts can provide access to justice for non-English speakers at a level that makes Massachusetts one of the national leaders in the provision of court interpreter services,” said Mr. Steelman.           

          Judge Borenstein, who was appointed as chair of the Committee on the Administration of Interpreters in 1998 by Chief Justice for Administration and Management Barbara A. Dortch-Okara, coalesced committee members, community groups, bar associations, and other groups to address the Trial Court’s need for effective court interpreter services.  Under the leadership of Judge Borenstein, the Committee requested and obtained funding for technical assistance from the National Center for State Courts to aid the Committee in identifying issues and recommendations for the professional operation of the Office of Court Interpreter Services (OCIS).  Major recommendations contained in a report by the National Center for State Courts, which called OCIS “an operation in crisis” as it was undergoing a major organizational change, were successfully implemented by the Committee and OCIS under Judge Borenstein’s leadership.  According to the NCSC, Massachusetts has now joined the national Consortium on State Court Interpreter Certification, which provides for sharing of court interpreter testing resources among state court systems.         

          Judge Borenstein also successfully sought an additional $700,000 for OCIS from the Legislature for fiscal year 2003, enabling the Trial Court to hire a new manager and training coordinator and seven full-time staff court interpreter employees.  In addition, he established a subcommittee on standards and procedures, which conducted public hearings throughout the state to receive input on a draft report. Last April the final draft was approved and new standards and procdures are now being used by the courts.          

          Judge Borenstein, a Wayland resident, was first appointed in 1986 as a Lawrence District Court judge.  He was appointed to the Superior Court bench in 1992.  He has taught at New England School of Law, Suffolk Law School, Northeastern University School of Law, and Boston College Law School.  Born in Cuba, Judge Borenstein is a graduate of  George Washington University and Northeastern University School of Law. He also received an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. Judge Borenstein was the recipient of the prestigious Haskell Cohn Award for Judicial Excellence from the Boston Bar Association in 2001, and has received numerous other awards for his work as a judge, as a law school professor, and for his community service.         

          The National Center for State Courts, established in 1971, is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership, research, consulting, education, and training to the state courts.