As the first week of May approaches, courts across the country are preparing to celebrate their dedicated employees in recognition of Court Employee Appreciation Week. Court Employee Appreciation Week coincides annually with Public Service Recognition Week and highlights the invaluable contributions of court staff who work… Read more »
Introduction The senseless 2015 ambush of Travis County Judge Julie Kocurek — stalked and shot after an attacker lured her son into moving a car — underscores how local security failures can have catastrophic consequences. A tip that the assailant… Read more »
I’ve spent a good part of my career working on courthouses — some of the most complex, high-stakes public buildings you can design. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that trust isn’t something you can draw into a set… Read more »
As 2025 drew to a close, NACM’s End-of-Year Giving Campaign sought to bring the court community together around the shared commitment of empowering court professionals and strengthening the future of court leadership. Gifts made as part of this campaign directly support… Read more »
The term “high-profile trial,” as most court professionals use it, seems a bit understated in the modern context. It fails to convey the attention, pressure, and chaos that is unleashed when a court finds itself at the center of a case… Read more »
Court staff are our most important resource, and their performance is at the heart of all court work. In this article, I explore how to create a high-performance work culture and environment by transforming traditional, backward-looking performance management into practices… Read more »
A stubborn myth is undermining court efficiency: that people miss court because they don’t respect the process or don’t think it’s important. But ample research now tells a different story. People miss court because life is messy — and remembering… Read more »
The ambivalence between wanting strong teams and dreading team-building activities is something any team leader will immediately recognize. Walk into any break room and mention “team building,” and you are likely to see a collective eye roll from staff who… Read more »
Introduction Professional development is the continuous process of learning and upskilling that enables people to adapt to changing environments, take on new responsibilities, lead more effectively, and grow in their careers. In the courts, professional development carries a particular importance… Read more »
1985–2025 Our History: A Snapshot of NACM’s Milestones and Innovations First Ten Years: 1985–1995 The National Association for Court Management (NACM) was formed following the merger of the National Association for Court Administration (NACA) and the National Association of Trial… Read more »
If you are entrusted with bringing about change, you likely possess the knowledge needed to advance the organization, and you might have a plan—but knowledge is not enough. You have to bring yourself to each interaction in a deeply authentic… Read more »
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 »
As court leaders, it is not uncommon for many of us to have had dealings with the media relating to court operations, from questions as innocuous as the date and time of a hearing to more complicated inquiries as to… Read more »
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 »
As a NACM member, you can access an incredible resource in the CORE®. This curriculum has been honed and is regularly updated by NACM’s CORE® Committee to ensure the content remains relevant. The purpose of the CORE® Champion Program is… Read more »
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 »
NACM was created in 1985 and currently serves over 1,700 members. NACM prides itself and is known for the development of court professionals through training at midyear and annual conferences, educational podcasts and webinars, a variety of publications, social media,… Read more »
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 »
As we step into the new year, we are reminded of the power of renewal—the opportunity to reflect on our journey and embrace the potential for growth. The past year has been filled with challenges, but also with remarkable accomplishments…. Read more »
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 »
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