Author: Lauren Curtis

The Rural Justice Collaborative (RJC) has released a series of Lessons Learned for rural communities working toward solutions in their communities. Drawing directly from the experiences of those working on the front lines, this series showcases effective strategies and collaborative approaches aimed at improving outcomes for individuals affected by substance use in rural communities. Through firsthand accounts and practical examples, we are working to inspire and inform justice, health, behavioral health, service, and community stakeholders dedicated to advancing positive outcomes in their rural communities. Funded by the State Justice Institute and produced for the RJC by Mtn Craft in collaboration with our partner Rulo Strategies, this series highlights insights and lessons learned from rural leaders actively engaged in cross-sector partnerships.

Every year, the equivalent of more than 14% of the U.S. population has a traffic or misdemeanor case. While many consider justice involvement to be a phenomenon that does not impact their own lives, or the lives of those around them, the reality is that most U.S. adults have either interacted with the justice system at some point in their lives, or know someone who has. Still, navigating even these commonplace offenses creates undue strain on individuals and courts, as in-person appearances must be made to negotiate a case; requiring scheduling court visits around work schedules or childcare, determining transportation for those without consistent access to a car, and increasing workload on court staff.

While the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged the implementation of solutions such as virtual hearings and other avenues to navigate the legal system virtually, these avenues often remain dated or difficult to use, and frequently do not provide relief to court staff workloads. Though remote work and telecommunication vastly increased across the country over the last 5 years, court systems have not taken full advantage of these innovations.

In late 2024, the Justice Management Institute (JMI) and Kalamuna received a strategic initiatives grant from the State Justice Institute to develop a joint project aimed at expanding and streamlining the use of online case resolution (OCR). OCR aims to enable individuals who are arrested or issued citations for traffic or misdemeanor cases to easily navigate and manage their cases online and (with their lawyers as needed) to conduct transactions, plea negotiations, and resolve cases without physically appearing in court. Meanwhile, for courts and prosecutors, OCR reduces workload and time, as cases can be managed online, including pretrial and post-adjudication transactions, as well as court hearings.

Read the full article here: OCR Assessment | JMI Justice

Download the report here: OCR-Assessment-Report_FIN4.pdf

It’s that time of year again! Federal Grant Season has started. The State Justice Institute has designed a Funding Toolkit to support local courts, state courts, and their justice system partners as they pursue federal and philanthropic funding opportunities. This toolkit includes resources that encompass the entire grant seeking, writing and management process, such as planning checklists, sample documents, frequently asked questions and fact sheets.

Technical assistance is also available to courts to provide support and feedback during the grant writing and development process. Access the toolkit to learn about the current funding opportunities, receive technical assistance, watch virtual learning modules and visit our FAQ page to answer any questions you may have: https://fundingtoolkit.sji.gov/

The SJI Board met on September 15, 2025, and awarded eight (8) new grant applications totaling $1,459,951 for the 4^th quarter of FY 2025. 

The Board awarded three (3) Strategic Initiative Grants (SIG) to: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) to develop of memorandums of understanding between state courts and military installations addressing jurisdictional issues involving military families, especially juveniles; the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and Innovation for Justice to establish and inventory of existing and possible legal desert interventions and assemble a cohort of state courts to implement legal desert solutions; the NCSC, in partnership with the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators to support state teams committed to behavioral health system improvement;

A Project Grant to WarriorNOW to launch a Veterans Justice Reentry and Peer Navigation Program – a statewide initiative in Colorado that will be aimed at improving outcomes for justice-involved veterans by embedding trained peer navigators in local courts.  At least half the local court sites will be in rural areas of the state where resources are limited.

Three (3) Technical Assistance Grant applications were awarded to: the Supreme Court of Kansas to engage the NCSC to assist in its effort to launch a pilot navigator program in Douglas and Sedgwick counties to better serve self-represented litigants; the Council for Court Excellence to update and expand self-help probate materials and resources; and the Superior Court of Merced County, California, for a strategic planning project.

A Curriculum Adaptation and Training Grant was awarded to the National College of Probate Judges to design, develop, and deliver educational content to further enhance the knowledge and skills of probate judges, magistrates, and court employees, significantly improving the administration and quality of justice in the probate courts across the United States.

In addition, five (5) state courts were awarded SIG grants through a Request for Proposals process to improve responses for youth and young adults involved in the justice system.  California, Minnesota, Montana, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands were awarded grants totaling $515,000 for systems assessments, action planning, and implementation to support young people who enter juvenile or adult criminal courts.  Following the National Convening on the State Courts’ Role in Effective Justice for Young People in March 2025, the 5 grant recipients requested additional assistance to improve their efforts and build on momentum gained during the event.  The convening was the first of its kind to bring together judges, court leaders, and professionals from 47 states and U.S. territories to address how courts can better serve youth and emerging adults with justice system involvement.  Each grant recipient will receive support from the collaborative — which includes the NCSC, the NCJFCJ, the Council of State Governments, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The next deadline for grant applications is November 1, 2025 (1^st Quarter of FY 2026).

The FY 2025 4th Quarter SJI Board Meeting was held on Monday, September 15th, 2025, at the Supreme Court of Montana. SJI Executive Director, Jonathan Mattiello, Senior Program Advisor, Michelle White, and members of the SJI Board were joined by Chief Justice Cory Swanson of the Montana Supreme Court.

#SJIBoardofDirectors #SJIBoard #StateJusticeInstitute #SJIBoardMeeting #SupremeCourtofMontana