Photos
AOC Director Laurie K. Givens (left) presents Dominique Clark with the Changemaker McAnulty Award at the Judicial Branch’s Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 28 in Frankfort.
Photo of Chief Justice Minton at end of news release
News release
FRANKFORT, Ky., March 2, 2022 – Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. and Dominique Clark of the Administrative Office of the Courts have been named the 2022 recipients of the Judicial Branch’s William E. McAnulty Jr. awards. The honors were announced during the court system’s annual Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 28. The event took place virtually and a recording has been posted on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel.
Chief Justice Minton was awarded the Trailblazer McAnulty Award for promoting diversity, inclusion and equity in the state court system. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Denise G. Clayton presented the award, praising the chief justice’s efforts to address bias in the court system regarding people of color.
Judge Clayton said Chief Justice Minton’s push to improve equality called to mind an African proverb about how a weak man goes only where he is smiled at.
“I will say that Chief Justice Minton is more than willing to go into situations where he may not be smiled at, where he may be subject to some concern or criticism or asked questions,” she said. “So it’s a bold thing for him to do and to accept whatever the results are of the efforts of the court system and to acknowledge where we have fallen short.”
Chief Justice Minton, who served with Justice McAnulty on the Supreme Court of Kentucky, said the award was “truly meaningful” and that he was “humbled to receive it.”
Clark received the Changemaker McAnulty Award for her efforts as the racial, ethnic and equity disparity coordinator for the AOC’s Department of Family & Juvenile Services. She focuses on improving support and services for minority youth who have complaints filed on them with the court system. She works with court designated workers to make outcomes for these young people more in line with those of their white peers.
Chief Justice Minton told Clark he was grateful for her service in the court system.
“You are deserving of this recognition and I want to speak for Bill McAnulty and say that we are proud to have you as part of our Court of Justice family and to present you with this recognition.”
“Dominique is a true advocate for providing equitable opportunities that provide better outcomes for families and children of color and consistently implements initiatives that serve that same purpose,” Chief Justice Minton said. “Dominque’s leadership, commitment and passion have been a powerful force in engaging staff and improving outcomes for youth and our families of color.”
AOC Director Laurie K. Givens presented the award to Clark, praising the legacy she was building in the court system and for Black youth.
Clark said she began focusing in college on how the court system is uneven regarding Black youth, especially Black girls. She was a court designated worker before starting in the REED coordinator position in 2019.
“I’m very grateful for this,” she said of the award. “Thank you so much for this and I will continue to do the work that I’m doing.”
William E. McAnulty Jr. Award
The William E. McAnulty Jr. Award was named for the first Black justice on the Supreme Court of Kentucky. Justice McAnulty, who served at every level of the state court system, passed away in 2007 after 30 years on the bench. The McAnulty Award has been presented annually since 2020 and recognizes individuals whose dedication and commitment to service have made a significant impact on the Kentucky Court of Justice. This can be through years of service, leadership, job performance and/or efforts toward improving racial and ethnic diversity and equity in the Judicial Branch.
In addition to the Black History Month Celebration, the Judicial Branch commemorated Black History Month 2022 by sharing profiles of African American pioneers in the fields of medicine, health and wellness with court personnel statewide.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 406 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
###