John P. Smith, 9th Judicial District Judge chambered in Walker, has been selected by the Minnesota State Bar Association to receive the 2007 Rosalie Wahl Judicial Award of Excellence.
The award was presented recently in a ceremony in St. Paul. Former recipients of the award include US District Court Judge Ann Montgomery and Federal District Court Judge John Tunheim.
Each year the Minnesota State Bar Association seeks to honor a judge who not only possesses high ideals, personal character and judicial competence, but also has gone beyond the ordinary call of duty, participating in projects focused on improving the quality of justice or the justice system.
The award is named for former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Wahl whose work encompassed the attributes of the award.
In 1993 Justice Wahl stated: "This we vow: that we will not cease our efforts until this court system, of which we are so proudly a part, treats every person equally before the law - and with dignity and respect - regardless of such irrelevancies as race or gender or class."
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Smith, a resident of rural Nevis and former Park Rapids attorney, has exemplified this statement throughout his work in the judiciary. He has participated in projects focused on improving the quality of justice and the justice system.
This is particularly evidenced by the presentation Feb. 23 of the Leech Lake Tribal Flag for his courtroom. The partnership with the Leech Lake Tribal Court is the first of its kind in the United States.
