A national judges group has honored a Cleveland Municipal Court judge with an award in recognition of his innovative steps to reduce domestic violence.

Judge Ronald B. Adrine received the second Elizabeth Hines

Domestic Violence Award from the American Judges Association at the group’s annual conference this year.

As the administrative and presiding judge for the Cleveland court, Judge Adrine is serving his sixth and final six-year term after his initial election in 1981. By the time this term ends, he will be age-barred by the Ohio Constitution from running for judge again.

The AJA noted that Judge Adrine has lectured extensively on domestic-violence issues for judges and others, and he co-chairs the Advisory Board of the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence.

“I am humbled by this award,” Judge Adrine said. “It is always heartening to receive the recognition of your peers. I thank the American Judges Association for finding me worthy. I do this work because I firmly believe judges are uniquely qualified to make a difference in this generally misunderstood area of the law. However, judges can do so only if they are educated to understand the complex nature of abusive interpersonal relationships and the appropriate role that an enlightened jurist can play.”

Judge Adrine’s leadership in the domestic violence arena has extended to several statewide posts as well including the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Domestic Violence Task Force, the Governor’s Task Force on Family Violence in Ohio, and the Ohio Attorney General Victims Assistance Advisory Board. Additionally, he is co-author of “Ohio Domestic Violence Law,” part of Thompson-West Legal Publishing Company’s Ohio Handbook Series. Judge Adrine also helps to increase Ohio municipal court judges’ understanding of domestic violence by serving as a frequent instructor for the Supreme Court’s Ohio Judicial College New Judge Orientation program.