Listening to traumatic testimony, understaffing, unprepared lawyers, uncooperative litigants, conflicts with staff, heavy caseloads, and docket fatigue can all take a toll on an adjudicator. There are cases that make us lose sleep—the law may require us to impose a tough sanction on a likable, well-meaning, disadvantaged grandmotherly person. This plenary session, with facilitated breakout discussion groups, will explore our physical and emotional limits and provide practical solutions for surviving the worst of days. We’ll also discuss signs of burnout, how to reduce stress, and maintain our health and well-being.

Discussion facilitators include:
Lorri Bennett, Manager of Administrative Hearings, South Carolina Dept. of Corrections
Toni Boone, Administrative Law Judge (retired), Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (OR)
Dustin Brandon, Commissioner’s Designee, Appeals Division, Tennessee Dept. of Homeland Security (TN)
W. Michael Gillette, Associate Justice (retired), Oregon Supreme Court (OR)
Peter Halbach, Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, State of North Dakota (ND)
Mary Long, Administrative Law Judge, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA)
Bobbie Marshall, Assistant Director of Fraud and Fair Hearings, Human Services Commission (TX)
Karl Seligman, Administrative Law Judge, California Department of Insurance (CA)
Jimmy Stokes, Policy Analyst, Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GA)
Charles Thomas, Administrative Law Judge District of Columbia Dept. of Your Rehabilitation Services (DC)
Mark Weibel, Hearing Officer, City of Fort Worth Municipal Court (TX)