A major national initiative is now underway to help state courts respond to escalating risks. Through NCSC’s Safer Courts project, courts will gain access to strengthened security practices, expert guidance, and training designed to help judges, staff, and the public stay safe. Supported by a State Justice Institute grant, Safer Courts will create standardized incident reporting …
Read MoreCourt users are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to seek information and advice to navigate their legal issues. This guidance provides a framework to discuss AI use with court users while emphasizing accuracy, responsibility, and compliance with court rules. Court staff should familiarize themselves with their policy on providing legal information vs. legal advice …
Read MoreAs courts face increasing demands for data, the National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) are improving data quality and governance nationwide. Over the past five years, NCSC has worked to implement the National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) to establish business and technical standards to facilitate the sharing of standardized case-level data. The standards are …
Read MoreThe Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), on behalf of the State Justice Institute, is hosting a Peer Exchange in Adams County, Ohio on May 5–6, 2026. Up to five communities will be selected to receive travel scholarships, allowing each selected site to send a team of 3–4 practitioners to participate in this structured two-day peer …
Read MoreThe National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, in partnership with the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, is hosting the Child Safety: An Immersive Training for Judges, Attorneys, and Child Welfare Leadership on March 26th, 2026, from 11am-5pm EST. The Child Safety Guide offers a comprehensive approach to child safety …
Read MoreDocketing and case processing can be challenging in high-volume case types like debt collection, where courts may hear thousands, or even tens of thousands, of factually similar cases every year. In these cases, many defendants lack legal representation, and low appearance rates often lead to default judgments that may not serve justice or efficiently resolve …
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