A Message from the President

Welcome to our website.  For nearly 25 years, the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts has been in the vanguard of persons dedicated to the issue as our name so states.  We are the largest organization of our kind addressing the issues of fair and impartial treatment of racial and ethnic minorities in both federal and state courts.   We hope that you will find our website helpful in finding information about us and the efforts made to eradicate and minimize disparate treatment of all persons.

We wish to thank all those persons who have made efforts to further the cause of fair and impartial treatment, especially those who have worked with us and those who have worked throughout the United States and Canada to assure that the courts do what they were intended to do.  In that regard, I particularly want to thank the members of the board of the National Consortium, the staff of the National Center for State Courts, the Conference of Chief Justices, and Conference of State Court Administrators for their support, time, and efforts.

The National Consortium has grown significant from its founding in the late 1980s consisting of four states to more than 37 states, including the District of Columbia.  It has changed from an intimate meeting of individuals to a national annual conference (last held in late April 2011 in New Orleans).  Our focus has not changed:  We all must ensure that everyone, regardless of race, color or ethnicity, is treated appropriately and with dignity.  We continue to engage in discussions about access to courts and the issues impacting racial, ethnic, and other minorities.  We invite you to participate with us.  Please consider attending for our 24th annual conference to be held in Omaha in early May 2012; check back with this website for further information.

Max N. Tobias, Jr.
Judge
Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal

Updated August 1, 2011