Widener Law alumnus and Delaware Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter, Jr. ’76 was elected Chair of the National Conference of State Trial Judges (NCSTJ) at the annual meeting of the American Bar Association that was held in August in Chicago.“This is a critical time for many courts throughout the country with reduction in funding and attacks by groups who believe a court is ruling inconsistent with their political, religious or social beliefs,” said Carpenter, adding, “As such, the mission of the conference will be to not only improve the administration of justice but to promote the public’s understanding of our judicial system to ensure that the third branch of our government remains independent and is free to rule fairly and impartially.”The oldest and largest organization of general jurisdiction state trial judges in the nation, the NCSTJ represents the interests of trial judges to the American Bar Association. Carpenter, who is also a Widener Law adjunct professor teaching a course on Delaware practice, becomes the first Delaware Judge to serve as Chariman of the NCSTJ. He will hold the chairmanship through the summer of 2013.