To all Judges, Marital Masters and staff:

As we celebrate the holiday season, my colleagues and I want to thank each of you for your valued service to the court system and wish you and your families a happy and peaceful 2009. While we have many challenges ahead of us in the new year, I am confident that if we work together we can insure that the critical mission of the Judicial Branch is fulfilled.

This edition of e-Court Connections provides many good examples of the personal generosity that thrives in the Judicial Branch. We saw that in the number of donors who came to our first ever Red Cross blood drive and in those employees who walked for miles to raise money to fight disease, volunteered to help a court in Eastern Europe or spent hours packing boxes to send to our troops overseas.

Be sure to read Tom Edwards' letter to his friends and colleagues as he prepares to retire from the IT department after many years of commitment; and I think you will be fascinated by Judge Tina Nadeau's account of her second career as a bee- keeper.

E-Court Connections helps us get to know one another a little better, and in turn makes us a stronger, and more supportive organization. I want to offer a special thanks to content manager Laura Mitchell, who has been in touch with so many of you, collecting your stories to share with your co-workers. Production editor Brian Eddy also gets a special thanks for putting all of that information into easy to read electronic form.

Again, my best to you and yours, and, as always, thank you for your dedication to the administration of justice. I am proud to work with you.

John T. Broderick Jr.