A Question of Ethics

Hiring Ethical Employees: How Can We Hire “The Good Ones”?

by  Peter Kiefer

Part One: January 26, 2023 Episode

Part Two: February 23, 2023 Episode

As court administrators, what actions can we take to ensure we hire ethical staff? What can you do to ensure that the people you hire will adhere to your court’s Code of Conduct? 

Relying on Bruce Weinstein’s book, The Good Ones: Ten Crucial Qualities of High Character Employees, the Ethics Subcommittee explores some of the personal qualities that ethical employees possess. These qualities include honesty, accountability, care, courage, fairness, gratitude, humility, loyalty, patience, and presence. The discussion includes:

  • What sort of interview questions will identify ethical employees?
  • Are background checks worth engaging in?
  • Who uses criminal history checks, financial history checks, and drug tests?
  • Should we even ask job candidates how they define ethical behavior? 

Moderator 
Norman Meyer: Retired Clerk for the Federal Bankruptcy Court, District of New Mexico 

January 26 Panel 

  • Courtney Whiteside: Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri 
  • Stacy Worby: State Jury Coordinator, Alaska State Court System 
  • Peter Kiefer: Retired Court Professional 
  • Eric Silverberg: Court Administrator for the City Court in Tucson, Arizona
  • Karl Thoennes: Court Administrator, 2nd Judicial Circuit Court, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • Stacy Owsley: Deputy Human Resources Director, Pima County Superior Court, Tucson, Arizona 
  • Rick Pierce: Judicial Programs Administrator, Pennsylvania Administrative of the Courts.

February 23 Panel 

  • Courtney Whiteside: Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri 
  • Stacy Worby: State Jury Coordinator, Alaska State Court System 
  • Peter Kiefer: Retired Court Professional
  • Joe Tommasino: Staff Attorney, Justice Court, Las Vegas, Nevada

Leave a question or comment about the episode at ethics@nacmnet.org. 

Visit the NACM Ethics webpage.