CTC 2023 draws strong attendance, reflects growing innovation
September 20, 2023 -- It’s no surprise that AI and its current and potential impact on courts was a hot topic during CTC 2023 in Phoenix earlier this month. Also top of mind for the nearly 1,600 in attendance were the latest advancements in access to justice, data management, and cybersecurity and continuity of operations response.
Judges, court administrators, IT managers and court staff from across the U.S. and abroad gathered at the Phoenix Convention Center from Sept. 12 to 14 to hear from peers, academia, and tech companies about ways courts are leveraging technology to improve operations. Panelists also shared lessons learned and offered guidance on how to implement complex technology projects and data initiatives.
“We were delighted to see the best attendance at CTC in over 20 years,” said Jesse Rutledge, NCSC vice president for public affairs. “The turnout demonstrated that the court community is eager to study lessons learned from the pandemic and to chart a course for improving how justice is delivered in America.”
Nationally recognized keynote speaker Dr. Moira Gunn, host of NPR’s Tech Nation, set the tone for the conference with her message reminding attendees of their extraordinary responsibilities as trusted guardians of the court and its data. She encouraged the audience to shape AI rules and policies with three qualities in mind: ethical behavior; responsibility and oversight; and trust and truth.
Elaborating on Dr. Gunn’s remarks, Rutledge added, “While AI is changing the way the world is handling data and information, courts need to remain vigilant in reviewing information going into and coming out of their systems. This oversight is critical to protecting the integrity of the courts and strengthening public trust and confidence.”
Throughout conference sessions and exhibit hall presentations, NCSC experts offered advice on topics ranging from data governance to hybrid and remote hearings and backlog reduction initiatives. NCSC also joined the Joint Technology Committee in recognizing extraordinary work by courts to improve the court user experience (UX) by hosting the UX Court Capers Challenge. Teams from the City of Denton (Texas) Municipal Court, Missouri City (Texas) Municipal Court, and Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Domestic Relations Court were awarded top prizes for their UX initiatives in the conference’s closing session.
“This year’s conference harnessed the power of over two dozen NCSC staff members who handled every logistical detail—from the online registration page that opened in May, to the final prize giveaways at the conference’s closing session,” Rutledge said. “No event better showcases the remarkable breadth of NCSC’s impact on the court community than CTC.”
Be sure to save the date for NCSC’s next technology conferences, eCourts 2024, from Dec. 9 to 11 in Las Vegas, and CTC 2025 from Sept. 16 to 18, in Kansas City, Missouri.
Nominations open for Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration
NCSC is currently seeking nominations for the Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration. Named for the late Chief Justice of the United States, the award honors an individual, other than a sitting judge, whose service has significantly contributed to improving the administration of state courts. Service may be at the local, state, or national level. Nominations are due no later than Friday, October 13, 2023. Visit the NCSC website for details outlining the nomination process.