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LASC Judges Choose New Executive Officer/Court Clerk
Texan David Slayton to Assume Post Jan. 2
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court have selected Texan David Slayton to serve as the court’s executive officer/clerk/jury commissioner, leading the operations and managing the staff of approximately 4,800 persons.
Presently vice president of court consulting services for the National Center for State Courts (“NCSC”), he will join the Superior Court on Dec. 1 and assume his new duties as court administrator when Sherri R. Carter leaves that post, which she has held for nearly a decade, at the end of the year.
As the state court administrator and executive director of the Texas Judicial Council from 2012-21—a post to which he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas—Slayton worked with more than 3,000 bench officers and thousands of court employees.
The selection of Slayton follows a six-month national search, conducted by a committee. Its choice was then presented to the judges who gave their approval.
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DAVID SLAYTON court administrator |
Expresses Gratitude
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the great work already underway in the Los Angeles Superior Court,” Slayton said. “The court has long been recognized as a leader in court administration and has a rich history of outstanding court executive officers/clerks of court.
“While I have enjoyed watching the court’s progress from afar, I look forward to working with the court leadership, judges and court staff to provide the court’s users with convenient and meaningful access to the justice system.”
Presiding Judge Eric C. Taylor commented:
“David’s depth of experience in the Texas court system combined with his NCSC leadership and support for the administration of justice in state courts and courts around the world elevated his candidacy for this challenging position in the best court in the nation. Equally impressive is his enthusiasm for enhancing access to justice and his demonstrated skill for working collaboratively with judges and employees.
“This is an exciting time of transformation in our court as we continue to prioritize ways to make justice easier and more convenient for all Angelenos to access through innovation, technology and creativity.”
Five Predecessors
Slayton will become the court’s sixth executive officer, the first having been Edward Gallas, hired by the judges in 1958. It was in 1984 that Frank Zolin—who served as executive officer from 1969-90, took on additional duties as county clerk, with that post gaining independent existence shortly before he retired from county service, but with the office of court clerk being created.
James Delaney held the post briefly and Jack Clarke had an 18-year tenure before Carter took the reins. Slayton has an undergraduate degree in political science from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree in public administration from Troy University in Alabama. He is a 2007 graduate Fellow of the Institute for Court Management.
Awards and Accomplishments
The administrator has received the 2008 Distinguished Service Award from the National Center for State Courts, the 2010 Robert O. Dawson Indigent Defense Distinguished Service Award from the Olin Texas Indigent Defense Commission, and the 2020 Mary McQueen Award Leadership Award from the Conference of Chief Justices.
He has served on the Board of Directors of the Conference of State Court Administrators and is a past president of the National Association for Court Management.
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