Happy door prize winners congratulated by Judge Royal. From left: Janice Pell, Judy Madison, Nancy Wilson, Nancy Jacobs and Judge Lisa Royal.
Janice Pell
What are the distinctions between Municipal Courts and Justice Courts? The Women of Quail Creek learned the answers when Judge Lisa Royal, the guest speaker at their July meeting, gave an informative and fun talk about the interworking of the court system. Speaking both from a personal and professional standpoint, she sprinkled her talk with civic lessons interjected with humorous anecdotes about her experiences on the bench. Everyone in attendance went away with greater knowledge about the Arizona court system and, in particular, our own Green Valley Justice Court.
Judge Royal had a career that spanned 30 years in the field of court administration. She has served at the Supreme Court, Pima County Superior Court, Juvenile Court and Los Angeles Municipal Court. Not only did she explain the differences between types of courts, she also detailed the various responsibilities of each. She has served as Justice of the Peace in Green Valley since 2013. As a Justice of the Peace she rules over misdemeanors, criminal traffic, protective orders and civil suits.
As the Justice Court she presides over is funded by the county, it was gratifying for taxpayers to learn that Judge Royal makes fiscal responsibility one of her top priorities and is very “careful with our money.”
Since the Green Valley courthouse is in serious need of additional space to more adequately serve the community, Judge Royal shared plans for the building’s expansion. During the renovation project, which is slated to begin this September, one of the upgrades will be a new, more efficient computer system.
Thus far in 2015 Judge Royal has had a caseload of 3455, so she is a very busy lady. But she values her court’s ability to provide customer service, access and accountability.
For further information visit the club’s website at womenqc.com or contact Janice Pell at [email protected] or 867-6262.