Judge Jimmie Edwards of the 22nd Judicial Circuit in St. Louis, Missouri, has been named recipient of the 2013 William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence by the National Center for State Courts. One of the nation’s highest judicial honors, the Rehnquist Award is presented annually to a state court judge who exemplifies the highest level of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness, and professional ethics.
Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. will present the award to Judge Edwards during a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on November 21.
“Judge Edwards has dedicated his career to keeping students in school and out of the courtroom. His compassion, commitment, and determination are making an overwhelmingly positive impact on the justice system — and in the lives of hundreds of families,” NCSC President Mary McQueen said. “Judge Edwards is accomplishing this by giving at-risk children dreams and helping them to achieve their dreams. NCSC is honored to have a judge of Judge Edwards’ character and accomplishments selected as this year’s Rehnquist Award.”
When Judge Edwards learned he is this year’s recipient of NCSC’s Rehnquist Award, he said: “Today I think I’m the most excited and humbled guy in the country.”
Among Judge Edwards’ many professional accomplishments, the one he’s most proud of is founding the Innovative Concept Academy (ICA), a school dedicated to changing the lives of juveniles in the justice system. Founded in 2009, ICA is the first community partnership school in the country overseen by a judge. The academy has received national recognition from the Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, NPR, and the CBS Early Show. People Magazine named Judge Edwards one of its 2011 Heroes of the Year. At that time, Judge Edwards told People, that his students do not have dreams they have nightmares because of their environment and home life. “Children cannot dream until they are taught what to dream about,” he said.
Judge Edwards has served on the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri for more than 20 years. In addition to starting the ICA, he is credited for numerous improvements in the justice system, including:
• implementing the Missouri dual jurisdiction process for juveniles, which allows juveniles who have committed crimes that might call for adult criminal court to remain in juvenile court if they meet identified benchmarks
• improving public access to court records through his work as chair of the State Judicial Records Committee
In a nomination letter, Missouri Supreme Court Justice Richard Teitelman and State Court Administrator Gregory Linhares said, “Judge Edwards has demonstrated outstanding qualities of judicial excellence, implemented innovative judicial projects into the state courts and taken bold steps to achieve positive results for issues affecting his local community as well as communities statewide.”
Judge Edwards and his wife, Stacy, live in St. Louis and have raised three children, Murphy, Ashley and John.
