Safer Courts
A national initiative to strengthen security practices and respond to evolving threats.
Introduction
Threats and incidents against judicial officers, court staff, and those who use the court system are increasing, impacting safety and public trust. The Safer Courts initiative aims to improve court and judicial security by developing best practices, expert resources, and training while also establishing standardized reporting and identifying court needs for a national state court threat and incident tracking and reporting system.
Impact
Safer Courts will equip courts with an improved ability to manage and respond to threats, stronger collaboration between state and local security stakeholders, and a clearer understanding of roles and responsibilities in court security through:
- Standardized incident reporting and threat evaluation tools;
- Updated court security best practices and minimum standards; and
- Training materials, assessment templates, and a personal safety guide.
Leadership
This initiative is led by NCSC and guided by a steering committee of the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators.
Steering committee members:
- Chief Justice Richard Bevan, Idaho
- Elizabeth Clement, NCSC president
- Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Maryland
- Chris Palmer, Utah Courts security director
- Judy Rupp, Maryland state court administrator
- Stephanie Smith, Kansas state court administrator
Resources
- Securing Justice, Conference of State Court Administrators, December 2025
- Personal safety inside, outside the courthouse: A guide for judges & staff
While judges have always lived with a certain level of risk, we have never experienced risk on the scale that we currently see today. We are facing an entirely new threat environment that drives to the very heart of the rule of law and the fair administration of justice under law.
Maryland Chief Justice Matthew Fader
Safer Courts goals & activities
Strengthen courts' ability to identify and respond to security threats
Improve coordination among state and local court security partners
Define clear roles and responsibilities for protecting court facilities and personnel
Conduct a national convening of court, judicial and security leaders to identify best practices and minimum standards
Create a Safer Courts task force of experts to guide workshops and resource development
Deliver in-person and virtual workshops focusing on practical implementation
Distribute resources, webinars, and a final report to the court and public safety community
Support our October 2026 national convening
Equipping leaders with knowledge and training on national models and security best practices strengthens statewide planning and response. In October, teams of court leaders will gather in Atlanta for the Safer Courts national convening to gain insights into today's complex threat landscape from national security experts from court and non-court settings. The impact of Safer Courts spans beyond judges and court personnel. Safer Courts also protect attorneys, litigants, court partners, and the public.
