Data has become one of the most influential tools in today’s court leadership. Court leaders rely on dashboards, case aging reports, customer service metrics, performance measures, clearance rates, and time standards to understand how effectively their organizations are operating. These… Read more »
Court administration operates within a framework defined by structure, consistency, and accountability. Policies guide decision-making, procedures promote fairness, and leadership ensures organizational performance aligns with the mission of the judiciary. Within this environment, court management professionals are responsible for ensuring… Read more »
Abstract Courts and policymakers increasingly emphasize deflection as a preferred response to individuals with behavioral health needs. While deflection plays an important role in reducing unnecessary system entry, it does not replace the legal, constitutional, and institutional functions performed by… Read more »
Introduction Much is always afoot in the leadership of courts: staffing, budgets, technology, relationships, and perceptions of courts. This article offers reflections, admittedly from my perspective, about the skills needed for today’s court leader. Using select sources, the landscape faced… Read more »
“For years, Native child welfare practitioners and advocates have been forced by limited resources and draining challenges to operate in the short term: What can be done this year or in this moment? Systems transformation requires long-mindedness. Our most pressing… Read more »
The 2026 NACM Midyear Conference took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from March 15 to March 17. Over 450 attendees gathered at the Albuquerque Convention Center for the first of two 2026 conferences celebrating the 250th birthday of the United… Read more »
From Jude Del Preore There is a quote attributed to Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further than others, it is because I stand on the Shoulders of Giants.” One of the true giants and “fathers” of court administration… Read more »
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 »
© 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.