Category: News And Announcements

Natural Language Programming (NLP) is a field of computer science that employs predictive analytics and machine learning with a focus on the interaction between computers and both written and spoken language.  Over the past decade, courts have successfully employed NLP techniques for routine case management tasks such as redaction, data extraction, document classification, and automated data population into databases.  With generous funding from the State Justice Institute, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) explored the feasibility of NLP to support civil case management.  The project focused on two stages of civil case management — assigning cases at filing to an appropriate case processing track and reviewing case filings to ensure that fundamental guarantees of procedural due process are satisfied before entering final judgment.  The Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators identified both stages as critical to effective civil case management in their recommendations for the Civil Justice Initiative. 

The studies employed NLP techniques for data extraction, relational matching, and document classification, comparing its performance with the same tasks performed by trained staff.  On data extraction tests, NLP performed at 90% or higher on most data elements needed for case triage, and likely would have performed even better with additional human direction during the machine learning phase of the study.  It was less successful on the document classification test, but largely due to poor image quality on the documents themselves rather than inability to accurately extract the necessary data for analysis.  Based on the findings, NCSC emphasized the need for adequate human involvement in the machine learning phase to ensure consistent and accurate performance as well as high quality data on which to begin learning.  In addition to the final report, the NCSC developed instructional videos on NLP and other artificial intelligence technologies, strategies for implementing these technologies, and a resource guide, all of which are available at https://www.ncsc.org/cji.

The Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice‘s new, brief video captures the methods and process through which your jurisdiction can undertake critical steps that produce significant improvements of the performance of your youth justice system. Featuring RFK National Resource’s Executive Director, John A. Tuell, and Deputy Executive Director, Jodi Martin, the video reflects the work that courageous youth justice leaders across the country have undertaken to produce important and necessary advances in their #youthjusticesystem using the Probation and Youth Justice System Review. The #video also highlights the opportunity to analyze and reform probation and court staff policies and practices that ultimately produce outcomes for youth, families, and communities.

To watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=W-TlIxlREr-TGTu9&v=nGHbOSalcJw&feature=youtu.be

For more information: https://rfknrcjj.org/our-work/

Truly modern courts are open, effective, and equitable. The Pew Charitable Trusts just recently published a framework that offers courts a roadmap to improve public trust in and the transparency of the civil legal system; support court user engagement; and help ensure that case outcomes are fair. The first toolkit centers on the principle that open courts are committed to transparency, and that courts should collect, use, and share data to continually improve interactions with their communities.

To read the full report: How to Make Civil Courts More Open, Effective, and Equitable | The Pew Charitable Trusts (pewtrusts.org)

SJI received 14 grant applications requesting a total of $2,507,926 for the 4^th quarter of FY 2023. The Board met on September 18, 2023, at the Supreme Court of Kansas to make decisions on those applications.

During its meeting, the Board awarded 5 Strategic Initiatives Grants: 1) the Legal Innovation and Technology Lab (the Lab) at Suffolk University Law School to create a national document assembly and e-filing service for use by state courts and legal non-profit organizations. The initiative will reduce the complexity faced by self-represented litigants (SRLs) and increase access to justice by providing the necessary infrastructure and developer support. Such a service and support will enable partner jurisdictions to create and operate open-source online guided interviews with e-filing integration; 2) the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to build a network of courts that demonstrate exemplary use of data to provide significantly better outcomes for families and courts; 3) Policy Research Associates for a multi-phase project to determine the scope, mechanisms, and effectiveness of strategies and approaches that state civil and criminal courts are using to provide court-based non-legal aid to help people with unmet behavioral health needs better navigate the court system, and have their needs identified and addressed; 4) The NCSC, in partnership with the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) to launch the National Task Force on Fines, Fees, and Pretrial Practices 2.0; and 5) a special award made from SJI’s Request for Applications process on fines and fees, which will enable the 19^th Judicial District Court of Louisiana to work with the East Baton Rouge Parish’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Justice Management Institute to develop and implement a high-functioning pretrial services agency.

Five (5) Technical Assistance Grant applications were awarded: 1) the Wyoming Supreme Court to contract with the NCSC to assist the Judicial Branch in its effort to launch a pilot navigator program in the Seventh Judicial District (Casper, Natrona County), and to implement meaningful self-help delivery in the operation of the courts; 2) Superior Court of Santa Barbara, California to to engage an expert consultant to assist in developing a strategic plan and direction for the Court; 3) The National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project at the American University/Washington College of Law, working in partnership with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to further develop the National Judicial Network: Forum on Human Trafficking and Immigration in State Courts; 4) the New Hampshire Administrative Office of the Courts review court operations and priorities, identify opportunities for improvement, and  support the role of the Supreme Court as regulator of the legal profession; and 5) the Judiciary of Guam seeks support to contract with the NCSC to assist in its effort to manage and facilitate a strategic planning process to guide the delivery of justice to Guam.

Two (2) Curriculum Adaptation and Training Grants were awarded: 1) support to educate judges and other stakeholders during the National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium, held from December 1st-3rd, 2023, in Portland, Oregon; and 2) the American Judges Association for judicial educational programming during the 2024 mid-year1 and annual meetings. The goal is to educate participants to strategies most recently identified as best practices to improve fair and equal access to civil and criminal justice.

The next deadline for grant applications is November 1, 2023 (FY 2024, 1^st quarter).

The FY 2023 4th Quarter SJI Board meeting was held on September 18, 2023, at the Supreme Court of Kansas. The Board was joined by Stephanie Smith, State Court Administrator and Chief Justice Marla Luckert. Included below are images from the Kansas Judicial Center and the Kansas State Capital.