News Item
Hennepin County judicial district administrator named “Outstanding Early Career Professional”
Posted: Friday, July 17, 2015
The National Association for Court Management this week presented Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Administrator Kate Fogarty the 2015 Outstanding Early Career Professional award.
“Kate is a strong leader and a dedicated public servant, and her swift ascent to the position of district administrator in Minnesota’s largest judicial district is a testament to her talent and intelligence,” said Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge Peter Cahill. “Kate’s farm upbringing instilled her with an incredible work ethic, which she has demonstrated in her service to Minnesota’s court system. On behalf of the judges in Hennepin County, we are pleased that Kate has received this important honor, and proud to have her represent our court on the national stage.”
Fogarty has overseen district court operations in Hennepin County since August 2014, following appointment to the top administrative post by local district court judges. As district administrator, Fogarty’s responsibilities include managing a full range of operations for the state’s highest-volume district court, including processing and management of all records and files of the court, as well as providing services to the public, other county offices, and judicial officers.
Fogarty has worked for Hennepin County Court Administration since 2000, serving as the education and organizational development manager, hearing and fines management office manager, human resources manager, senior manager for the criminal division, and deputy district administrator. She received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
“Kate shows her leadership in many ways, including focusing on developing training opportunities for staff to learn and apply new skills,” said Chief Judge Cahill. “She supports investing in new approaches to daily work and encourages innovation at all levels of the organization. Her leadership has made our courthouse more efficient, our employees more effective, and Hennepin County one of the finest urban courts in the country.”
The Fourth Judicial District includes only Hennepin County. It is the state's largest trial court, handling nearly 520,000 cases in 2014. The 62 judges, 15 referees, and 525 staff members working in the Fourth Judicial District strive to provide an accessible, fair, courteous, efficient, and innovative system of justice.
The Outstanding Early Career Professional award is the newest individual award offered by the National Association for Court Management. The association plans to present the award annually to recognize distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the profession of court administration and the judicial system by an early career professional.