Category: Announcements

Upcoming Webinar! Empowering Rural Communities: Overcoming Barriers to Treatment. The Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) School of Public Health will be hosting this webinar on February 23rd, 2026, at 6:30PM EST. Rural communities face unique challenges in addressing substance use disorders, from limited access to care and transportation barriers to social labeling and workforce shortages. This webinar will explore innovative, community driven strategies that are helping rural areas expand treatment access and build recovery-ready environments. Attendees will gain insights into successful models such as mobile clinics, telehealth, peer support networks, and faith-based partnerships, along with practical tools and resources to take action locally.

For more information about this event and to register, please visit: Empowering Rural Communities: Overcoming Barriers to Treatment – University of Nevada, Reno.

The National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) now include NIEMOpen technical specifications and mapping.

Join panelists on February 10th, 2026, at 3:00PM EST to learn about the new NODS features, including visual diagrams, technical blueprints, and data format examples.

Following this webinar, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe the new NODS features

2. Explain how NIEMOpen mapping helps courts share data with justice partners

Register here: https://ncsc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h78cdbA3R-uqloHiJyZiNg#/registration

#NCSC #DataDives #NODS #StateCourts #JusticeSystem

The National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO) is hosting: The Life and Legacy of Ernie Friesen: Court Reformer par Excellence on January 22nd, 2026, at 3:00PM EST. Many court leaders throughout the United States and worldwide were recently saddened to learn Ernie Friesen, one of the most influential icons in court and judicial management, died December 11, 2025, at 97 years of age. His work toward improving trial court governance structures and case processing efficiencies is legendary, living on today as strategic, practical principles in managing courts and evidence-based remedies for reducing needless court delay.

As his obituary touted, “He was an idealist and a reformer, with a gift for getting to the heart of a problem and a passion for finding practical solutions he could teach the world.” In many respects, his work led to the reality that leading and managing modern trial courts is a two-person job: a presiding judge and court executive officer working together in complementary, productive leadership roles. A foundational principle upon which NAPCO is based. Among Friesen’s contributions to the betterment of democratic justice systems was his unwavering, highly-regarded research into the causes and cures of unnecessary court delay. The practical solutions he developed and promoted in caseflow, docketing, and the early resolution of disputes are as relevant today in a world characterized by digitized, AI-enabled scheduling processes as they were decades ago when research and data analyses depended on Hollerith cards as the primary medium for scholarly work.

Join in for a 75-minute discussion by friends, associates and admirers of Ernie Friesen to celebrate his work and ethos as a law professor, law school dean, educator, researcher, consultant, ICM / NJC / NAPCO founder, and pioneer for responsible trial court leadership, governance, and case delay reduction.

Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom

Join in for an insightful conversation exploring the unique cybersecurity challenges facing judicial institutions and the strategic approaches needed to protect sensitive court data and maintain public trust. While the speaker brings expertise from the judicial sector, the strategies and frameworks discussed are applicable across all industries facing similar security challenges.

This moderated discussion will navigate through essential components of organizational cybersecurity, from developing comprehensive roadmaps to understanding risk profiles and implementing practical mitigation strategies.

🗓 When: January 13th, 2026, at 2:00PM EST.
🔗 Sign up here.

Many self-represented litigants are relying on AI tools, often general-purpose chatbots. Courts and legal aid organizations face critical questions about whether and how to help self-represented litigants use AI tools in ways that are constructive.

When: January 21st, 2026, at 1:00PM EST.

Sign up: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZUPPIm9pQLiEo5aV-UR30w?#/registration

Join the TRI/NCSC AI Policy Consortium for Law & Courts as it brings together leaders from state courts, legal services, and access to justice initiatives to explore this challenge.

Whether you’re a legal professional, community advocate, or just curious about AI’s role in justice, this webinar is for you!

When? February 18th, 2026, at 12:00PM EST.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) is virtually holding an important training focused on the often-overlooked role of nonvisible disabilities in civil legal proceedings involving military-connected survivors. This session will explore how conditions such as PTS/D, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and cognitive processing challenges can shape a survivor’s engagement with the civil legal system.

Participants will learn:

• How nonvisible disabilities may affect a survivor’s presentation and perceived credibility

• Ways these conditions influence participation in civil protection, custody, and guardianship proceedings

• How to distinguish trauma-related responses from behaviors that may appear as disengagement or deception

• How these dynamics uniquely emerge in child custody cases and emergency protective order hearings

This training is designed for judges, court personnel, legal professionals, and anyone working with military-connected survivors in civil matters.

Register here: https://ncjfcj-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/FxwObmtDQc2mdJrAQILP-A#/registration

#DomesticViolenceAwareness #SexualAssaultAwareness #TraumaInformed #LegalProfession #CivilJustice #MilitaryFamilies #NonvisibleDisabilities #Training #UpcomingWebinar #SaveTheDate

Upcoming National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) Webinar! Court-Appointed Neutrals (Special Masters): When to Use Them, How to Pick Them, How to Benefit from Them.

When? November 14th, 2025, at 1:00 PM EST.

Don’t miss this session exploring how special masters can enhance efficiency and fairness in the courtroom.

Register today! https://www.nawj.org/…/nawj-webinar-court…/2025-11-13

Upcoming Event! Municipal Courts and the Promise of Community Justice from October 23rd-24th, 2025, in Newark, NJ.

This convening, hosted by the Center for Justice Innovation and JustLeadershipUSA, aims to elevate municipal courts within the national conversation, while centering the voice and expertise of individuals who best understand and can attest to the range of impact that system involvement can have on an individual and the community.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/municipal-courts-and-the-promise-of-community-justice-tickets-1583395140489?aff=oddtdtcreator

#statecourts #justicesystem #municipalcourts #courts #upcomingevent

Join in starting on Friday, October 3rd, 2025, for a year of learning and fun at Court Navigator School — a series of five one-hour virtual webinar sessions offered every other month. Each webinar will provide information, ideas, and practical strategies to help launch or enhance court navigator programs to assist court users.  

From October 2025 to June 2026, the series will feature five lectures covering key topics for program development and improvement. Additional “study hall” sessions will provide structured online technical assistance, guidance from national experts, and a place to share ideas with colleagues, exchange information, and explore possibilities in your jurisdiction in a small group setting.  

Session 1: What do court navigator programs do: An overview & partnerships (Part 1)

This opening webinar will explore what makes a court navigator program successful. Students will learn about the purpose and scope of court navigator programs, wide range of services provided, and different ways services are delivered.

The session will also trace the origins of navigator programs and explore how they have grown and adapted. Additionally, students will examine how successful navigator programs build and maintain strong partnerships with a variety of entities, including access to justice commissions, universities, civil legal aid providers, clerk’s offices, courts, and other key stakeholders.

Participants can further explore the topic during the follow-up “study hall” session on Friday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.

Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom

The State Justice Institute is proud to support #NationalRecoveryMonth, funding and cross-collaborating in a significant amount of substance use, mental health and behavioral health projects. To learn about these programs and projects funded by SJI, please visit: https://www.sji.gov/priori…/behavioral-health-disparities/.

#recoverymonth #stopaddiction #opioidcrisis #opioidepidemic #mentalhealthawareness #recoveryispossible #substanceusedisorder #addictionrecovery #substanceabuseawareness