Marshall McDonald has been awarded the 1989 Medal of Honor for a Non-Lawyer in recognition of his outstanding service in improving the administration of Florida’s judicial system.
In 1983, The Florida Council of 100 answered the call of The Florida Bar, and Marshall McDonald took on chairmanship of the Council’s Committee for the Improvement of the State Judicial System. Faced with the dual crisis of increasing court caseload and compensation levels that were thinning judicial ranks, McDonald brought his significant business and managerial skills to bear, putting into motion administrative reforms which would rate Florida’s courts among the best managed in the nation.
Recognizing that judicial reform is no task for the short winded, his vision led to the creation of the Florida Judicial Council, a permanent body to evaluate and advise the Supreme Court of Florida on judicial system management issues. He then successfully championed the cause of increased judicial compensation, so that Florida could continue to attract and retain the most able of judges. Perhaps his most enduring contribution, however, is the model he established for citizen involvement in the courts.
Through his inspired leadership of the Council’s Committee, his energy, wit, and personal charm, Marshall McDonald has taught well the lesson that justice is not just the business of judges and lawyers, but of those concerned citizens like he, who hold dear the goal of a judicial system dedicated to responding to the needs of the citizens it serves.
