Trends in State Courts 2019 examines child dependency, the opioid crisis, court technology, and other topics regarding the role of courts in society. You may also view the full publication in Apple Books.
- Massachusetts Trial Court: Facilitating a Community Response to the Opioid Crisis
Hon. Paula M. Carey
The opioid crisis has affected the lives of citizens nationwide—with a resulting impact on courts. The Massachusetts Community Justice Project uses Sequential Intercept Mapping to gauge the impact of opioid-related cases on courts and to improve services to victims of this health crisis.
- Pima County's Dependency Alternative Program: Preserving Families and Promoting Access to Justice
Hon. Kathleen Quigley and Stacey N. Brady
In 2017 the Arizona Supreme Court recognized Pima County’s Dependency Alternative Program (DAP) with the Strategic Plan Award for Protecting Children, Families, and Communities. DAP was born out of a recognized crisis that significantly impacted families’ timely access to justice; DAP averts significant dependencies and mitigates trauma to families. - Engaged Employees = Satisfied Court Customers?
Eric Brown and Mindy Masias
The combination of employee happiness and motivation produces engagement—an important, if elusive, workplace attribute. Employee engagement has a significant impact on the public’s experience with the courts, and this article focuses on how to assess and improve your employees’ level of engagement to improve the court user experience. - Human Capital: Connecticut's Judicial Branch Is Investing in Its Workforce
Heather Nann Collins
The Connecticut Judicial Branch spent ten years implementing a strategic plan to improve services to the public. Now it is implementing a multiyear plan to improve employee satisfaction by focusing on communications, well-being, training, connectivity, and professional growth and opportunity for its biggest asset: its human capital. - Court Employees: Investing in Your Human Capital
Hon. John J. Russo
How can a court invest in human capital? Here is an administrative judge’s answer to that question. - The Court's Technology Communication Challenge
James E. McMillan
The Hague’s Innovating Justice Forum is dedicated to improving access to justice via technology. The 2019 forum stressed the importance of improving communication between courts and citizens using mobile devices. - Beyond Buzzwords: Building an Information Security Foundation
Sajed Naseem and Brian J. McLaughlin
Cybersecurity is no longer just a buzzword, but a stark reality where an attack can debilitate organizations. This article discusses steps to build an information security foundation for courts, ideally supported by leadership and integrated into every level of the organization. - Improving Child Support Enforcement Outcomes with Online Dispute Resolution
Kevin Bowling, Jennell Challa and Di Graski
Court appearances in family cases can be traumatic for many citizens—particularly those who have endured adverse childhood experiences, such as parental abuse or divorce. Ottawa County, Michigan, has been experimenting with online dispute resolution techniques, particularly in communications, to improve child support outcomes outside of courtrooms. - The Importance of a Legal Ecosystem
Tom Clarke
Not all legal problems require the services of a lawyer or all the processes of a court. The concept of a “legal ecosystem” might be an effective way of increasing access to justice, especially for self-represented litigants. - Evaluating Remote Technology Options to Increase Self-Help Center Access
Sheldon Clark
Providing meaningful access to justice should be at the top of every court’s goals, and remote technology is a means to increase meaningful access for self-represented litigants. This article discusses how Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District determined which type of remote technology was appropriate for their jurisdiction.