Online dispute resolution (ODR) systems are more relevant and less risky, allowing courts to provide more access to justice. Technology Needs When COVID-19 hit, there were strict safety protocols and quarantine restrictions in effect in many places. Some courts, especially… Read more »
Posts By: Jarrett Gorlin
Normalizing Failure with Online Dispute Resolution
Courts were working on ways for litigants to engage remotely before COVID-19, though it may be that we just took notice because of COVID-19. It may also be that before COVID-19, court conversations on remote engagement were insular. One of… Read more »
Rural Justice Collaborative Announces Rural Justice Innovation Sites: Nation’s Top Rural Policy Reformers Select Nine Programs to Serve as Examples
The Rural Justice Collaborative (RJC) Advisory Council, composed of rural judges along with additional stakeholders in the justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health systems, has selected nine of the country’s most innovative rural justice programs to serve as… Read more »
President’s Message
As 2021 ends and 2022 begins, we are not only faced with the ongoing COVID pandemic but also devastating natural disasters. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were impacted by the recent outbreak of tornadoes. Now is… Read more »
Editor’s Notes
Dear Reader, This issue provides an opportunity for us to shift our perspective. It offers two different takes on Online Dispute Resolution. It provides information about how courts responded to the complex issues of fire and civil unrest—while dealing with… Read more »
Courtside Conversations
T.J. BeMent
Reflections on a NACM Presidency . . . during a Pandemic Title, Court: District Court Administrator, 10th Judicial District (Georgia)NACM Title: President, 2020-21Number of judges at court: 26NACM member since: 2000 How did you get started in court administration? I… Read more »
A Question of Ethics
After Two Years of COVID: What Do We Know Now About Courts, Safety, and Privacy? These last two turbulent years have brought into sharp relief the dynamic tension between a court’s duty to keep both employees and the public safe,… Read more »
Management Musings
The poet laureate of Hawaii, Don Blanding, describes a fanciful dwelling in his poem “Vagabond’s House.” A lengthy elegy that details the vestiges of his travels and the people he encounters, it is what he dreams his home to be,… Read more »
2020 CourtFutures Top Trends to Watch: NACM Respondents
We have summarized the best thinking of over 1,500 court professionals who have reviewed 201 different scenarios of possible futures. This report highlights the 2020 assessments and focuses on the responses of NACM members, comparing their assessments with those of the overall group.
Using Online Tools to Connect Pro Se Litigants with Legal Information: Exploring How Presentation Style Affects Comprehension and Behavioral Intent
Developing self-help information for pro se litigants can increase efficiency in courts, improve the public opinion of the civil justice system, and increase access to justice. Legal professionals sometimes can struggle to interpret legal information so that it is easy for lay people to understand and inspires confidence.
Professional Development in Court Administration: We Need to Do Better
The education of court professionals is a key component of the mission of the National Association for Court Management (NACM). To that end, NACM has had a long and successful history of identifying competencies needed by court leaders.
President’s Message
Greetings fellow court professionals! Take a little time to enjoy this issue’s articles. We look back at the Top Trends of 2020 and consider ways to ensure that competencies gained from training are maintained as part of professional development. Our… Read more »
Editor’s Notes
Dear Reader, I’m a language person, and it sparked my curiosity when I started seeing “physical distancing” supplant “social distancing” in some publications. A move from the social-distancing term is an attempt to underscore the fact that we should maintain… Read more »
Courtside Conversation
Jeffrey Tsunekawa
Jeffrey Tsunekawa Background: Title, Court: Director of Research and Court Services, Texas Office of Court Administration NACM Title: Vice President, Chair of Education Committee Number of judges at court: 3,216 (in the state) NACM member since 2007 You are NACM’s… Read more »
A Question of Ethics
The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed many new ethical questions involving the courts. The national “shelter-in-place” directive left businesses and government agencies scrambling. Courts worked to save employee jobs. Many courts were fortunate to receive emergency funding and retain employees for weeks… Read more »
Management Musings
What is in the word “yes” when we utter it? In his book The Wisdom and Teachings of Stephen R. Covey, American educator and businessman Stephen R. Covey equates the commitments that individuals make to one another with “emotional bank… Read more »
Caseflow Management Practices—Opportunities for Application
Caseflow management is a court responsibility, which benefits from ongoing attentiveness. Caseflow management practices involve efforts for monitoring and overseeing case progress while managing any case backlogs. Monitoring steps occur (optimally) from case initiation through trial, adjudicatory actions, and final… Read more »
CourtFutures Top Trends to 2019 Survey Results: NACM Respondents
The Surveys We have summarized the best thinking of nearly 1,400 court professionals who reviewed 186 different scenarios of possible futures.1 This report highlights 2019 assessments and focuses on the responses of NACM members, comparing their assessments with those of… Read more »
Candid Camera: Tips for When You’re on Webcam
Even as social-distancing guidelines change, the reality is that many of us will continue to conduct large portions of our jobs remotely. While you’ve probably already been on many video calls, it’s worth reevaluating your options and considering adjustments that… Read more »
Framing Diversity and Inclusion for Court Managers: The Path to Justice for All
The Challenge For most court managers, the saying “Justice for All” is more than a T-shirt slogan. It is at the core of what the court system does every day. Court managers oversee and support complex services and activities, which… Read more »