A South Coast judge is receiving statewide honors for her efforts to improve access to the courts for the public.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Colleen Toy White is going to receive the 2016 Aranda Access to Justice Award. The award is presented annually by the California Judicial Council, the State Bar of California, and the California Judges Association to a judge who improves court access for low and middle income people.
Judge White helped develop a number of specialty programs in Ventura County. They include an elder court which focuses on elder abuse issues, and a Community Intervention Court which helps repeat offenders dealing with vagrancy issues. She’s also involved with innovative programs to help newborns prenatally exposed to alcohol or drugs, and a court which tries to help veterans living with PTSD, or addiction issues who are facing criminal charges.
The Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court will present the award to White at a ceremony in San Francisco later this month.
