Chief Justice Gesmundo is First Foreign Recipient of 2023 Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit Bestowed by the American Judges Association
September 14, 2023
“The yearning for justice knows no borders, and that dream of a society where justice reigns supreme is shared by all of us.”
Thus remarked Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo in his acceptance speech as the first magistrate from a foreign jurisdiction to receive the 2023 Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit during the Awards Luncheon of the 2023 Annual American Judges Association (AJA) Awards in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 12, 2023 (Philippine Standard Time).
“It is with humility that I receive this honor, not just for myself and the Supreme Court I represent, but also for my country—this award, I understand, having been first bestowed on a person from a foreign jurisdiction, in recognition of efforts to institute judicial reforms,” Chief Justice Gesmundo stressed.
The Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit is awarded to a judge for his or her outstanding contributions to the judiciary.
Chief Justice Gesmundo also put the spotlight on the Court’s blueprint for judicial reforms, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), noting that the programs initiated under the SPJI could not have been born except through hard work and dedication. He added that he has high hopes that one day, “the justice that has eluded many, most especially the marginalized, will be at arms’ reach.”
Chief Justice Gesmundo shared the award with his colleagues in the Supreme Court of the Philippines, judicial officers, Court officials and employees, and members of the Bar. He also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the Judiciary’s development partners—international agencies and judicial organizations for their valuable assistance and support.
“While it may have been my singular pride to be at the helm of the Court at this time of great transformation, it is only through our concerted efforts that we can overcome the challenges afflicting the administrative and adjudicative operations of our courts,” he said.
The Chief Justice ended his message by highlighting how he has devoted his remaining years in public service “to the realization of the ideal that justice is for all and, to be meaningful, must be rendered on time. It is only through this that courts become institutions for peace, order, unity, and equality.”
Chief Justice Gesmundo is in Honolulu, Hawaii as one of the featured speakers at the 2023 American Judges Association 62nd Annual Conference.
He will be joined by Chief Justice Robert Torres of the Supreme Court of Guam on September 12, 2023, 11:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M., (Hawaii Standard Time), in a session titled “Tech Talk with the Chiefs” to discuss the challenges that judiciaries face in adopting and implementing new technologies, including issues related to privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity.
The Conference, themed “Innovative Courts for a Modern Judiciary,” runs from September 9 to14, 2023. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo receives the 2023 Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit on September 12, 2023 (Philippine Standard Time) from Judge Yvette Mansfield Alexander, President of the American Judges Association (AJA) in Honolulu, Hawaii during the Awards Luncheon of the 2023 Annual AJA Awards. The 2023 Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit is awarded to a judge for outstanding contributions to the judiciary and Chief Justice Gesmundo is the first magistrate from a foreign jurisdiction to receive the same. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
