It is a Thursday in courtroom 6D at the Franklin County Municipal Court. This is not my normal courtroom where I typically preside over a daily docket filled with traffic and criminal misdemeanors. This sacred space is for CATCH Court,… Read more »
Posts By: Judge Jodi L. Thomas
Management Musings
Winston Churchill’s contemporary Clement Attlee, the leader of the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom, was humble almost to a fault. In some instances, Attlee’s humility was used against him, who was described by Churchill as a “modest man, a… Read more »
Designing Dignity: Rebuilding Public Trust Through Court Architecture
As public institutions face unprecedented scrutiny, courthouses have emerged as critical symbols of government accountability — or its absence. Aging, confusing, and often oppressive in their layout and function, many of today’s justice facilities send an unintended message: This system… Read more »
A Question of Ethics
Artificial intelligence has the potential to reshape the judicial system. AI-powered tools, from legal research assistants to sentencing algorithms and customer service chatbots, offer efficiency but also introduce risks, particularly bias. Additionally, the confidentiality of court records and legal proceedings… Read more »
Artificial Intelligence: A Powerful Tool for Court Professionals
Over the past month, I have had the same reaction to several videos I have seen on the Internet: “Is this real or is this AI?” I know that I am not alone in this thought process based on the… Read more »
Courtside Conversation
Andrea L. RibandoChief Judicial Administrator Second Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson2 Judges, 6 Traffic Hearing OfficersNACM Member Since 2023NACM Committee: Communications Committee, 2 years Describe your journey to becoming a Chief Judicial Administrator and the number of years… Read more »
President’s Message
Hello NACM Friends, As I write this, I’m aware that by the time you read it, my term as president will have come to a close. What a ride it’s been! I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to serve this… Read more »
Honoring Legacy, Embracing Change: Clement Takes Helm at NCSC Following McQueen’s Two-Decade Tenure
On May 1, Elizabeth Clement succeeded Mary McQueen as president of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). NCSC’s mission is to drive innovation and progress in courts and justice systems while working collaboratively with other judicial leaders, including the… Read more »
Management Musings
The song “My Way,” written by Paul Anka and made famous by Frank Sinatra, is generally interpreted as a ballad of undaunted autonomy. Attend almost any wedding reception in the Northeast United States, and guests will come together to sing… Read more »
A Brief Recap of NACM’s 2025 Mid-Year Conference
More than 200 court managers from across the United States and a few from international destinations descended upon Atlantic City, New Jersey, for NACM’s Mid-Year Conference in early February. Over the course of two days, attendees heard from experts on… Read more »
A Question of Ethics
Problem analysis is an often-overlooked component of decision-making. There are several highly effective business problem analysis models, each tailored for different types of challenges. Some of the most popular models include: There are several ethical concerns when conducting good problem… Read more »
Understanding and Mitigating Security Risks for Judicial Officials and Legal Professionals
Introduction Threats and acts of violence in United States federal and state courts have risen exponentially within the last decade, according to information published by the National Judicial College in 2024.1 It is important to note that, while federal judicial… Read more »
Courtside Conversation
Kristie CollierCourt Administrator Maricopa County Justice Courts26 Courts with 26 elected JudgesNACM member since 2018Serves on various committees What was the catalyst for your career as a court administrator?I fell into court administration after the attorney I was working for… Read more »
Addressing Judiciary Online Security Vulnerabilities
The Problem—Increased Risk Due to Online Vulnerabilities Forced prominence of the judiciary in the news and on social media sites by outside influencers has amplified public perception of the judiciary as policymakers, not interpreters of the law. This, combined with… Read more »
Within the Next Ten Years: Homelessness in the United States Reaches Crisis Levels
The CourtFutures survey now tracks over 240 different scenarios since it began asking court professionals about the future and courts in 2012. Surveys to assess the likelihood of a particular scenario occurring within the next 10 years only scratches the… Read more »
President’s Message
Hello everyone! To paraphrase one of our founding fathers, nothing is certain except death and taxes. I would like to add one modification to Ben Franklin’s saying—nothing is certain except death, taxes, and change. When change is met with resistance,… Read more »
Justice and Innovation in Latin America since the Pandemic: Developments, Challenges, and Perspectives
In many judicial bodies across Latin American nations, there is a growing trend toward modernization through the adoption of technology tools. Although these efforts have been ongoing, their acceleration was prompted by the crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic since… Read more »
Engaging a New and Diverse Workforce: NACM’s 2024 Midyear Conference
Costa Mesa, California played host to 388 in-person and 40 live-stream participants for the 2024 Midyear Conference of the National Association for Court Management. The interactive live-stream sessions were hosted by Melinda Brooks and Kendra Escudero, where participants discussed the… Read more »
Management Musings
The promotional single “Hurt” written by Trent Reznor of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1996. Years later, in 2002, it was catapulted into further commercial and critical acclaim when Johnny Cash… Read more »
Can I Work from Home? The Answer Is Not a Simple Yes or No
On May 29 of this year, I taught a class at the Maricopa County Justice Courts Annual Staff Training Conference: “Working from Home/Pros and Cons.” The focus of the class was a discussion on the benefits and challenges of working… Read more »
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© 2026 NACM – Court Manager; printed in the United States. Court Manager is published quarterly by the National Association for Court Management. Opinions expressed and procedures explained in the articles are not necessarily those of NACM or of the National Center for State Courts. Publication of advertising in the Court Manager does not imply NACM or NCSC endorsement or approval of the product or service. The association encourages submission of material that will interest or benefi t its members. Address correspondence to either the editor or the managing editor; inquiries about advertising should be directed to the managing editor. All rights are reserved to reject, condense, or edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication.