Dade Judge Honored With Judicial Excellence Award

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Miami-Dade County Judge Steve Leifman, who has long led efforts to change the way the legal system handles people with mental illnesses, was honored this week with the newly established Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence.

Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga presented the award to Leifman during an annual education program for county judges, according to a release Thursday from the Supreme Court.

Leifman, a judge since 1995, has led a project that diverts into treatment and support programs people who have serious mental illnesses but do not pose significant public-safety risks. Also, he has been involved in developing a program to train Miami-Dade law officers in how to better respond in cases of people in psychiatric crises, according to the Supreme Court.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.