July 17th is International Justice Day, held annually to commemorate the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on July 17, 1998. The ICC is an international court that investigates and prosecutes individuals for serious crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
With this in mind, we’d like to celebrate the Honorable Edward Rodgers. Judge Rodgers served for 22 years as a Judge in the Circuit in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit located in Palm Beach County, Florida.
The circuit court is an important part of the state court system because it ensures that the decisions of the trial courts below it are reviewed and that justice is served. The circuit court also plays a role in developing the law, as it often hears cases that involve new legal issues. The circuit also works to educate the public about the court system and its services.
Judge Rodgers graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts and earned his Juris Doctorate from Florida A&M University, College of Law. Two years after graduating from law school, Judge Rodgers was appointed the first Black county prosecutor in Palm Beach County. In 1973, he was appointed to the County Court bench as the Circuit’s first Black judge. In 1977, he was appointed to the Circuit Court Bench.
In 1991, Judge Rodgers started the Riviera Beach Civil Drug Court, a community court whose mission is to “provide programs and services to reduce crimes associated with substance abuse.”
For establishing a court dedicated to the core values of compassion, honesty, respect, integrity and passion, Judge Edward Rodgers received the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities in 1992.
