Category: News

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

Funded by the State Justice Institute, the National Center for State Courts, in partnership with Rulo Strategies LLC, launched the Rural Justice Collaborative (RJC) to showcase the strengths of rural communities and highlight the cross-sector collaboration that is a hallmark of rural justice systems. These strengths include strong professional networks, deep ties to the communities they serve, resiliency, and ingenuity. The Rural Justice Collaborative is guided by an advisory council of rural practitioners representing the judiciary, public safety, behavioral health, public health, child welfare, victim services and other stakeholder-focused justice systems. The advisory council guides the initiative and has focused initial efforts on advancing innovation, promoting collaboration, and raising awareness of rural justice system needs.

A new data literacy course, funded by SJI, is in development to help build future-ready courts and meet the growing demand for court data expertise. Courts will soon have a new tool to support staff who use and communicate with data to generate insights and optimize performance. The data literacy course will help build future-ready courts and meet the growing demand for court data expertise.

The curriculum, which will be tested and refined over the next few months, covers the data lifecycle, court statistics, data visualization, ethics, and governance. A national online launch is anticipated in 2026.

“Data literacy is a core skill for today’s court professional,” said Nicole Waters, NCSC’s director of data, analytics, and forecasting. “Working with data is not just a technical skill, but a fundamental skill that helps court personnel meaningfully contribute to decision-making and improve data quality throughout all court processes.”

The course is designed for three key audiences:

1. Court administrators who need to request, read, and interpret data to gain actionable insights from reports.
2. New hires in research and data offices who must quickly understand the unique challenges of state court data.
3. Court staff seeking to strengthen their skills in processing and utilizing data for daily operations.

The inspiration for the course came after NCSC worked with the Orange County (California) Superior Court on a curriculum to help staff with limited data experience assist the court with an increased volume of data requests. Over time, NCSC principal court research associate and project lead Diane Robinson said the team identified similar needs across the country and began developing a national curriculum for online delivery.

Resources available now

In the meantime, NCSC continues to provide data resources, including the expert-led “Data Dives” webinar series, the semi-annual in-person Data Specialists and IT Summit, and quarterly virtual meetings for data specialists, where court professionals discuss key data challenges and innovations. Courts can access current resources to improve their court data at ncsc.org/data.

The SJI Board of Directors will be meeting on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 1:00 PM MT.  The purpose of this meeting is to consider grant applications for the 4^th quarter of FY 2025, and other business.

ADDRESS:  Supreme Court of Montana, Mazurek Building, 215 North Sanders Street, Helena, MT.

New report offers phased approach to responsibly harness AI and expand access to justice

The IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, has just released a new report. Regulating AI in the Delivery of Consumer-Facing Legal Services: Unlocking Legal Regulation outlines a clear and actionable framework for how the legal profession can respond to the rise of artificial intelligence tools already being used by the public to navigate legal issues.

Amid a growing access to justice crisis—where most low- and middle-income Americans still cannot get legal help when they need it—Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools present both a challenge and an opportunity. While the legal community has debated how AI might affect lawyers, judges, and the profession itself, far less attention has been paid to how AI is changing the experience for everyday people trying to understand their rights, resolve disputes, and access the courts.

“Generative AI is already reshaping how people seek legal help, but our regulatory system hasn’t kept pace,” said Jessica Bednarz, IAALS’ Director of Legal Services and the Profession. “We can’t afford to ignore these tools or overregulate them into irrelevance. This report offers a clear, measured path forward that protects consumers while allowing innovation to thrive.”

The report acknowledges the real risks that come with AI, including concerns around accuracy, accountability, privacy, and bias. At the same time, it highlights AI’s transformative potential to scale legal information, advice, and services in ways the traditional system has failed to deliver. If developed responsibly, these tools could become a powerful force in closing the justice gap.

“We’re facing both a crisis and a breakthrough,” said Jeff Ward, Director of the Duke Center on Law & Tech. “Responsible AI might help close the justice gap, but only if we reimagine our regulatory systems. IAALS’ phased approach shows how we can act with both urgency and care to create an environment where trustworthy legal tools can flourish.”

The phased approach begins with a focus on experimentation, education, and consumer protection, while continuing to gather data and evaluate how people use these tools. The second phase, contemplated for the future, would involve more formal regulation based on what is learned. This thoughtful process is designed to encourage innovation while keeping consumer needs and public trust at the forefront.

The report stems from IAALS’ November 2024 convening of leaders from across the legal, regulatory, and technology communities. Participants explored the tension between outdated regulatory frameworks and modern tools that are increasingly used by people without lawyers. In particular, the group examined how unauthorized practice of law rules often have a chilling effect on legal aid organizations, courts, and entrepreneurs who are trying to serve self-represented litigants.

IAALS and the Duke Center on Law & Tech also hosted a follow-up webinar series—AI, Access to Justice & UPL: Shaping the Future of Legal Services—to continue the conversation and explore key themes from the convening in greater depth. You can watch the recordings here. In addition, a workshop series focused on developing non-prosecution policies for regulating AI in consumer-facing legal services will follow this fall. 

Read the full report here.