Five tips to protect your court's reputation

Courts are trusted sources of truth. But there are plenty of bad actors in the public arena — from politicians to special interests to private citizens, and even bots and trolls — who thrive on spreading incorrect or misleading information about courts. 

We've been studying the impact of misinformation and disinformation on the courts for years, and there is no question that as false and misleading narratives have become easier to share, public trust and confidence in courts has suffered. 

Understanding declining public trust

There are other reasons for declines in public trust, of course, but court professionals can proactively support public trust in several ways. Our 2024 guide on rethinking strategies to bolster public trust strategies is called "Beyond Civics Education" and it contains practical suggestions for court professionals.

We've also worked for years with friends at the Brunswick Group to develop tools and materials for countering disinformation attacks on courts. In their latest guidance to communications professionals, Brunswick echoes many of our recommendations to courts. They note that "traditional media relationships no longer offer sufficient protection to correct the record. Businesses must lead. That means presenting facts in compelling, creative ways that reach an increasingly skeptical public..." 

This echoes our guidance: now is the time to tell your court's stories proactively, and stories that focus on how courts are connected to local communities, are accountable and transparent, and solve real-world problems are more effective with the public than traditional narratives about judicial independence and separation of powers.

Perhaps there was a time when a well-crafted statement or detailed fact sheet might have been enough to set the record straight. But today is not that time. 

–  Brunswick Group 

Countering misinformation & disinformation 

Brunswick offers five suggestions for how institutions like courts can get ahead of the game in an era of widespread misinformation and disinformation.

1. Anticipate attacks and their impact.
2. Set up alert systems and rapid response frameworks.
3. Develop and test compelling narratives.
4. Engage algorithms to boost your online immune system.
5. Take your narratives to new and unexpected places.

As we move into a new era AI-driven "zero click" searching, having accurate and comprehensive information about your court online is no longer a "nice to have" it is a "must have."