AJA American Gavel Awards

Judge Richard B. Halloran attended the University of Detroit School of Law. He obtained his juris doctorate from the university while also working in the school’s clinical program. Before attending law school, Judge Richard Halloran studied psychology, philosophy, and religion at Canisius College. Upon graduation, he began his long and diverse legal career, including four elections to the Third Circuit Court of Detroit. Judge Richard Halloran is a member of the American Judges Association.

The history of the American Judges Association (AJA) can be traced back more than 50 years. Today, AJA has more than 3,000 members all over the world, including representatives from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Guam. This year the AJA will celebrate its fourth annual ceremony for the American Gavel Awards. Created in 2009, the ceremony hands out a number of awards to distinguished and accomplished members of the AJA.

The American Gavel Award for Distinguished Reporting about the Judiciary recognizes exceptional work in the field of judiciary journalism, highlighted by a high standard of reporting ethics and a dedication to educating the general public on matters of the legal system. Additional awards handed out by the AJA include the Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit and the Judge William H. Burnett Award, as well as the Judge Bob Jones Memorial Award, which recognizes extraordinary contributions to judicial education.