September 16th, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Employee disengagement is a critical national issue, one that quietly undermines productivity, economic growth, and workplace culture across the United States. According to a2024 Gallup Corporation report:
· Only 33% of Employees are Actively Engaged in Their Work
· 50% are Not Engaged They are going through the motions without energy or passion.
· 17% are Actively Disengaged. They are, in somecases, sabotaging the efforts of their colleagues.
These statistics paint a sobering portrait of a workforce in quiet crisis, where a majority of employees are not fully invested in their work. Gallup estimates the cost ofthis disengagement to the U.S. economy at over $1.9 trillion annually lost in productivity, absenteeism, turnover, and diminished performance.
Managers point to employee shortcomings:
Failure to Own Their Performance and Growth Many employees stop seeking challenges, feedback, or development. They become content to drift rather than drive.
Lack of Effort to Connect with Their Job A weakened work ethic shows in a reluctance to go beyond the minimum or take full ownership of assignments.
Misaligned Career Choices Some employees acceptroles that don’t match their long-term goals and instead of course-correcting, allow dissatisfaction to quietly fester.
Employees, in turn, point to leadership:
Lack of Clear Job Expectations Unclear responsibilities and vague performance standards create a fog of uncertainty,eroding confidence and consistency.
Limited Opportunities for Growth When training,mentorship, and development are absent, ambition fades and potential withers. Not Feeling Cared About as a Person When empathy ismissing, employees may feel invisible.
Poor communication Both sides agree that communication is broken; each sees the other as responsible. Employees remain silent, withdrawn, and sometimes morose. Leaders misread the silence as apathy, not alienation.
What emerges is a workplace marked by quiet tensions and mutual disillusionment. Whether through micromanagement or complete detachment, the absence of meaningful feedback and recognition is deeply demoralizing. Can this be turned around before the silence becomes permanent?
Today’s Moderator
Erika Schmid Judicial Clerk Supervisor at Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland
Today’s Panel
Elaina Cano Court Administrator, City Court, Surprise, Arizona
Teshrie Kalicharan Alternative Dispute ResolutionDirector, 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Orlando, Florida
Samantha Wallis Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
Become part of the Conversation. Send in your comments and questions to CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org#employee engagement
#non-attorney legal advocates
#access to justice
#court administration
August 19, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Many contend that tensions between larger general jurisdiction courts and smaller limited jurisdiction courts stem from disparities in resources, staffing, and technology. Urban courts, with their towering caseloads, high-stakes criminal prosecutions, sprawling civil disputes, and complexlitigation, tend to attract greater funding, the best technology, and top-tier legal talent.
In contrast, smaller suburban and rural courts, quietly manage everyday justice with limited staff and sometimesoutdated systems. They can find themselves on the margins of statewide judicial planning. Urban courts are often the first to adopt new tools such as AI-assisted litigant self-help, virtual hearings, and real-time language translation. Smaller courts often watch from a distance, struggling with connectivity issues and budget constraints. Is this gap just technological or is it cultural? What works in a bustling city courthouse may falter in a courthouse where everyone knows each other’s names.
Moderator
Kristie Collier
Court Administrator, Maricopa County Justice Courts, Phoenix, Arizona
Today’s Panel
Melinda BrooksSpecialized Dockets Manager, Franklin County Municipal Court, Columbus, Ohio
Timothy Ezell
Chief Operations Officer, Fulton County Clerk of Superior & Magistrate Courts, Atlanta, Georgia
Courtney JacksonCourt Administrator, Municipal Court, Decatur, Georgia
Become part of the Conversation. Send in your comments and questions to CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org#Accesstojustice
#Proceduralfairness
#Public trustandconfidence #Transparencyinthecourts
July 15th, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
One of the major challenges facing state trial courts today is the disturbing lack of accurate national statistical data. Beneath the surface of our justice system lies a troubling truth: we often don’t know, we can’t know, what’s really happening.How many cases do our courts handle? What kinds? How efficiently? Without reliable data, we are left to make educated guesses in the dark. This absence of clarity is not accidental, it is the result of a decentralized system ofjustice.
Some of the results include:
Lack of Uniform Court Coding
What one court calls a “hearing,” another might call a “conference.” These differences seem small, but they add up to a patchwork of mismatched codes, formats, and definitions across jurisdictions.
Limited Data Transparency and Public Access
Even when data exists, it is often locked behind arcane systems, hard to find, and harder to interpret.
Hurdles with Data Sharing
Disconnected technologies, legacy systems, and inconsistent standards create silos of information making collaboration truly a challenge.
Inability to Measure Performance and Outcomes
Without standardized metrics, we can't track how long cases take, how they’re resolved, or whether justice is truly being served. It’s like trying to navigate with a map that constantly changes shape.
Addressing this challenge is the National Open Court Data Standards project (NODS). It is a collaborative effort led by the National Center for State Courts, the Conference of State Court Administrators, and the Joint Technology Committee.By creating shared standards for collecting, sharing, and interpreting court data, NODS shines a light in the shadows, allowing courts to operate with greater transparency, efficiency, and consistency.
This month, we are looking at the National Open Court Data Standards project. We explore how this effort will transform access to court data for researchers, policymakers, the media, and the public.
Today’s Panel:
The Honorable W. Brent Powell, Judge on the MissouriSupreme Court.
T.J. BeMent, Court Administrator for the 10th Judicial District Court in Athens, Georgia
Laura Ritenour, Caseflow Management Specialist for the Administrative Office of the Courts, Phoenix, Arizona
Become part of the Conversation. Submit your comments and questions to CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org
Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode June 17, 2025
Civil case filings per capita have been declining nationally for decades. John Greacen and Alan Carlson explained this in their book, What Is Happening to State Trial Court Civil Filings? The absolute number of civil filings in state courts has increased somewhat, however overall filings have not kept pace with population growth and have been in a long-term decline.
Meanwhile, the National Center for State Courts' annual State of the State Courts poll reported that public trust and confidence in the state courts rose in 2024 to 63%. However, this figure has stagnated between 60% and 64% over the past four years.
These troubling numbers raise some important questions:
How are people resolving their disputes?
How are people now resolving their disputes? Are they, in fact, resolving them at all? One thing is certain: more and more, people are not turning to the courts, the traditional venue for peacefully settling conflict.
What can we do about this trend?
What can we do about this trend? How can we encourage the public to once again rely on America’s courts to address their issues?
This month, we explore how Arizona is tackling the challenge of Access to Justice. Arizona's Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Committee has been working to rebuild public trustand encourage people to return to the courts as a reliable resource for resolving their disputes.
Today's Panel
The Honorable Samuel A. Thumma, Judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals
Mr. Kip Anderson, Court Administrator for the Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman Arizona,
Dr. Kevin Ruegg, Chief Executive Officer for the Arizona Bar Foundation
Judge Thumma is Chair of the Arizona Access to Justice Committee; both Dr. Ruegg and Kip Anderson aremembers of that committee.
Become part of the Conversation. Submit your comments and questions to CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org
Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode May 20, 2025
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a futuristic concept, it is already reshaping how we live and work. Courts are no exception. With its immense power, AI is transforming the justice system in ways we could have only imagined a few years ago. Here’s how AI’s power is already making waves:
Unmatched Efficiency: AI can produce polished reports, memos, and articles in mere minutes—dramatically reducing the time and effort needed for routine tasks.
Instant Access to Information: AI enables litigants,families, and other court users, to engage in meaningful conversations about procedures without relying on human staff.
Sharper Decision-Making: AI-driven insights are helping leaders make more informed, data-backed judicial and administrative decisions.
Compelling Presentations: AI tools are enhancing professional presentations and transforming complex ideas into easily digestible information for audiences.
Yet, with all this potential comes a need for caution. The NACM AI Guide strongly emphasizes the importance of training and comprehensive policies to mitigate risk while unlocking AI’s potential.
This month, we’ll tackle two critical questions: How can courts ensure they’re getting the right AI training? And what does a comprehensive AI policy look like? Courts will needto answer these questions in order to harness AI effectively—and responsibly.
Today’s Panel
Stacey Marz, Administrative Director for the Alaska CourtSystem, Anchorage, Alaska Shay Cleary, Managing Director for Court Consulting Services at the National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, Virginia
Tina Mattison Deputy Court Administrator for the Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts in Tucson, Arizona
Become part of the conversation. Submit your comments and questions to CLAPodcast@namnet.org
April 15, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Employee hiring is at a crossroads. With artificial intelligence (AI) revolutionizing the way resumes and applications are screened, employers—including courts—are rethinking how they identify top talent. At the same time, the push for greater diversity means evaluating candidates from vastly different backgrounds using a common set of standards.
Courts are grappling with severe staffing shortages, struggling to find candidates who not only have technical expertise but also the interpersonal skills to navigate high-stakes legal and personal matters with litigants and families. With these challenges converging, one question looms large: How do you hire the right candidate in this volatile environment?
This month we will explore the dynamic tension between the quest for increased diversity and keeping evaluations unbiased. We will discuss the quest to find a balance at a time when artificial intelligence is potentially changing the very rules for selecting new talent.
Today’s Panel
Creadell Webb Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Philadelphia Courts
T.J. BeMent Court Administrator, 10th Judicial Administrative District, Athens, Georgia
Elizabeth Moss Human Resources Director, Alaska Court System, Anchorage.
Sara Kujawski Manager, HR Talent Strategy & Management, State Court System, St. Paul, Minnesota
Become Part of the Conversation!
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
Question of Ethics Conversation: January 23, 2025
Artificial intelligence has the potential to reshape the judicial system. AI-powered tools, from legal research assistants to sentencing algorithms and customer service chatbots, offer efficiency but also introduce risks, particularly bias.
Additionally, the confidentiality of court records and legal proceedings becomes a pressing concern, as AI systems require vast sums of data for training—potentially exposing sensitive information to breaches or misuse.
While AI chatbots improve accessibility by guiding litigants through procedural questions, the possibility of providing incorrect information and the prohibition against providing legal advice highlights the need for careful human oversight.
As courts integrate AI into their operations, how do we ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness? What ethical and legal questions arise?
Today's Moderator
Creadell Webb, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the 1st Judicial District in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Today's ModeratorCreadell Webb Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the 1st Judicial District in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaToday’s PanelCourtney Whiteside Director, Municipal Court St. Louis, MissouriAlison Braaton Clerk of District Court, Grand Forks County, North DakotaAndrea Powers Human Resources Director, Idaho Court System, Boise, IdahoAmy Emig Business Development Manager, Enterprise Technology Services Division, Oregon Judicial Department, Salem, OregonKelly Hutton Court Administrator, North Dakota Court System, Grand Forks, North DakotaPeter Kiefer host of the Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast SeriesNickolas Brackley Technology and Solutions Specialist, Enterprise Technology Services Division, Oregon Judicial Department, Salem, OregonNorman Meyer, Retired Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New MexicoRoger Rand IT Manager, Multnomah Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
March 18, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
The relationship between cities and their municipal courts is often marked by underlying tension. While courts must function independently, their close ties to city governments can create friction over revenue, resources, and oversight.
Underfunded municipal courts frequently struggle with case backlogs, understaffing, and limited access to justice. Judicial independence and the autonomy of other elected officials, such as the Clerk of Court, can also be at risk when city governments exert influence over judicial appointments, salaries, or case outcomes. This interference undermines the courts' ability to serve as impartial arbiters of the law.
This month we will explore the tension between cities and municipal courts. We will also discuss how municipal courts can navigate these challenges.
Today’s Panelists
• Lizzie Alipaz, Court Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Timnath, Colorado
• Lori Tyack, elected Clerk of Court for the Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, Ohio and
• MiHa Kapaki, Court Administrator for the Grays Harbor County District Court in Montesano, Washington
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
February 18, 2025 , Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast EpisodeUnderstanding trauma-informed engagement is increasingly essential for court employees and judges. Many—if not most—individuals who interact with the court system have experienced significant trauma. Whether they are litigants, witnesses, or defendants, they often carry the invisible weight of past or ongoing adversity.
A trauma-informed approach helps court professionals recognize signs of trauma and respond in ways that foster trust, reduce stress, and minimize the risk of re-traumatization. Additionally, this approach supports the well-being of court employees by equipping them with strategies to navigate difficult interactions while mitigating the impact of secondary traumatic stress on themselves.
This month, we are exploring the role of trauma-informed engagement in court interactions. How can courts further integrate this critical practice to enhance fairness, empathy, and effectiveness in the justice system?
Today's Panel:
Carrie Summer-Namura, Program Coordinator for the Clackamas County Circuit Court, in Oregon City, Oregon
Jill Houck, Trial Court Administration for the Superior Court in Cape May and Atlantic Counties New Jersey
Trent Baker, Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Court, Dependency Drug Court & Juvenile Drug Court, 17th Judicial District, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
November 21st, 2024, Question of Ethics Conversation
Copilot describes data literacy as understanding, interpreting, and using data effectively. It involves knowing how to read charts and graphs, understanding statistics, and being able to critically evaluate data sources for their reliability and relevance. Just as how literacy with words helps you comprehend and communicate in language, data literacy empowers you to navigate and make sense of the vast amounts of data we encounter daily. Problem Analysis is an often-overlooked component of decision-making. In this episode we discuss data literacy and how it intersects with ethics in the courts.
Episode Moderator:
Roger Rand, IT Manager, Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
Episode Panel:
Courtney Whiteside, Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri. Courtney is also the chair of the NACM Ethics Subcommittee.
Stacy Worby, State Jury Coordinator, Alaska State Court System, Anchorage.
Ellen Haines, Supervisor, IT Training & Data Analysis Department, Multnomah Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
Peter Kiefer, Host, Court Leaders Advantage Podcast Series, Auburn, New York.
Jeff Chappell, Court Administrator, Municipal Court, O'Fallon, Missouri.
Creadell Webb, Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, 1st Judicial District, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Leave a question or comment at ethics@nacmnet,org
Join the Question of Ethics Conversation held after the Subcommittee meetings every fourth Thursday of the month at 2:00 pm ET.
January 21, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Last month we talked about the five biggest issues facing young workers. This month we will look at the five biggest opportunities young workers have in 2025. The five are:
The opportunity to Develop Valuable Digital Skills & Technological Expertise
Access to Continuous Learning and Development to expand their knowledge & skills
The Chance to Build a Global Network of peers and mentors
The ability to excel at Collaboration & Connectivity which enhances team dynamics, and
The opportunity to find a career where they Feel Valued & Seen
Today’s Moderator:
Erika Schmid, Supervisor, Multnomah Circuit Court, Portland Oregon
Today’s Panel:
Samantha Wallis, Assistant Court Administrator, District Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Daniel Meza Rincón, Deputy Juvenile Court Administrator, Utah Administrative Office of the Courts, Salt Lake City
Victoria Murray, Business Intelligence Analyst & Supervisor, Maricopa Superior Court, Phoenix, Arizona.
Carrie Summers-Nomura, Program Coordinator, Clackamas County Circuit Court, Oregon City, Oregon
Courtney Whiteside, Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
December 17, 2024, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
This month and in January we’re looking at the 5 biggest issues and the 5 biggest opportunities facing young workers today. This month we will consider the five biggest issues which include:
• Work-Life Balance
• Job Security
• Mental Health and Well-Being
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
• Career Development and Growth Opportunities
Moderator
Erika Schmid Supervisor, Multnomah Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
Today’s Panel
Samantha Wallis Assistant Court Administrator, District Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Daniel Meza Rincón Deputy Juvenile Court Administrator, State of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
Victoria Murray Business Intelligence Analyst & Supervisor, Maricopa Superior Court, Phoenix, Arizona.
Carrie Summers-Nomura Program Coordinator, Clackamas County Circuit Court, Oregon City, Oregon
Courtney Whiteside Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
September 26, 2024, Question of Ethics Conversation
Problem Analysis is an often-overlooked component of decision-making. There are several highly effective business problem analysis models, each tailored for different types of challenges. Some of the most popular models:
• Root Cause Analysis which includes techniques such as “The Five Whys” and the “Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram”
• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
• Gap Analysis which includes identifying gaps between where an organization is and where it needs to be, then focusing on areas of improvement.
There are several ethical concerns when conducting good problem identification and analysis.
• What if you cannot obtain the political buy-in needed to properly analyze the problem?
• How do you properly identify and analyze a business problem with a strong political undercurrent?
• How do you proceed if a solution is already laid out for you?
• When we become operationally aligned with a decision-maker do we run the risk of “preemptive avoidance” where we decide not to initiate a topic because we know it will provoke a negative response?
Today’s Panel
• Samantha Wallis - Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
• Rick Pierce - Judicial Programs Administrator, Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts
• Stacy Worby - State Jury Coordinator for the Alaska Court System
• Creadell Webb - Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, 1st Judicial District, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Leave a question or comment at ethics@nacmnet,org
Join the Question of Ethics Conversation held after the Subcommittee meetings every fourth Thursday of the month at 2:00 pm ET.
October 15, 2024, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Forbes Magazine recently published an article titled “10 Biggest Business Trends Everyone Must Be Ready For Now.” The list?
1. Generative Artificial Intelligence Will Be Everywhere.
2. Demand for Interpersonal Skills
3. The Move to Sustainable Business
4. Business Resilience
5. Personalization of the Customer Experience at Scale
6. A Customer Experience Revolution
7. The Data Economy
8. The Search for Skills Solutions
9. Employees Demand Remote Work opportunities
10. The Shift to Diversity and Inclusivity
Many court administrators appear to see artificial intelligence as an IT issue. However, it is definitely a consumer-based concept now.
A short time ago, the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz announced its top 100 consumer AI apps. The most popular one by far? ChatGPT, trailed by other tools including Microsoft CoPilot, Google’s Gemini and Bing, Character AI, Perplexity, Claude, and even Grammarly. These tools can create compelling text in seconds. It can significantly shorten the job of developing reports, briefs, presentations, and emails.
There has also been considerable discussion about the problems with these tools.
Hallucinations
Lack of Transparency
Appropriating Personal & Confidential Information
Bias
This month we’re looking at the court’s position on using consumer AI tools. Is it occurring? Are courts aware of these tools? Do we think that staff might be using them with or without the knowledge of upper management? Are courts even concerned about them?
Today’s Panel:
Roger Rand Information Technology Manager, Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
T,J BeMent District Court Administrator, 10th Judicial Administrative District, Athens, Georgia
Lori Tyack Clerk of Court, Franklin County Municipal Court, Columbus, Ohio
Dana Bartocci Human Resources & Development Director, Minnesota Judicial Branch
Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
June 27, 2024, A Question of Ethics Conversation
Robert Granzow, Director of the Office of Judicial District Security at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, talks about safety, security, and dealing with disabilities in the court environment.
Equal access to justice can only be realized in an environment of safety and security. We must ensure the safety of those with and those without disabilities.
Disabilities can include, physical, traumatic, psychological, mental illness, congenital birth defects, personality disorders, addictive disabilities, as well as cultural and language differences.
We live in a rapidly changing threat landscape. Courts all stakeholders at the table and need to conduct a comprehensive security assessment, preferably using a gap analysis. Courts must have political buy-in from the highest level. We need to make data-driven decisions.
Solutions include training in de-escalation and non-escalation; recognizing the signs of people in crisis; using new classes of employees such as court navigators. We need to consider new innovative and technological solutions such as expanded use of videoconferencing, innovative security wanding techniques, and using AI to identify litigants who are suspicious.
You don’t want to miss this insightful discussion.
Joining the Conversation:
Rick Pierce - Judicial Programs Administrator, Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts
Roger Rand - IT Manager for the Multnomah Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon
Courtney Whiteside - Director of the St. Louis County Municipal Court
Stacy Worby - State Jury Coordinator for the Alaska Court System
Erika Schmid - Supervisor, Multnomah Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon
Peter Kiefer - Host of the Court Leader's Advantage Podcast Series
Creadell Webb - Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer 1st Judicial District of Pennsylvania Leave a question or comment about the episode at clapodcast@nacmnet.org
September 17th, 2024 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
The world-renowned technology advisory firm, The Gartner Group, has come out with its Nine Future Work Trends for 2024. These are trends that Gartner has said will reshape the future of work. They are driven by the need to attract and retain top talent, reduce operational costs, and enhance productivity. The trends are:
· Skills Will Become More Important than Degrees and Certificates in Recruitment and Selection
· Career Stereotypes Will Collapse in the Face of a Changing Workforce
· Employee Conflict Resolution will be the Next “Must Have” Management Skill
· The “Cost of Work” Crisis Will Reach a Breaking Point as employees calculate the cost of traveling every day to and from a brick & mortar courthouse
· The Four-Day Workweek Becomes Routine
· We will stop talking about DEI. It just becomes the Way We Work
· Generative Artificial Intelligence Experiments Will Likely Yield Hard Lessons & Painful Costs. These experiments will emphasize the need for good training on how to use Generative AI.
· Artificial Intelligence Will Create Work Opportunities. Entirely new classes of specialists will be needed to effectively use AI
· Climate Change Protection Will Become the New “Must-Have” Employee Benefit.
In this episode we are going to take a look at the job skills of the future and how we are going to find candidates that possess them. We will look at the shifting focus from degrees and certificates to skills and competencies. This approach will allow for a more inclusive and diverse workforce by valuing practical skills and experience over formal education and training.
We will look at one specific future skill that will be in high demand, that being workplace mediation. As workplaces become more diverse and remote work continues to grow, misunderstandings and conflicts will also likely grow. Effective mediation will be essential to keep an organization working smoothly.
Today’s Panel
· Hilarie Gaylin Certified Coach, Trainer, Facilitator, and Organizational Consultant
· Tim Rupert, Human Resource Officer, Municipal Court, Toledo, Ohio
· Jason James, Court Administrator, Municipal Court, Dalton, Georgia
· Dana Bartocci, Human Resources & Development Director Minnesota Judicial Branch Saint Paul, Minnesota
· Jamie Velazquez, Organizational Development Analyst, Superior Court, Orange County, California
August 20th 2024 Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
The 2024 NACM annual conference brought together court professionals from across the country to share best practices, address common challenges, and discover innovative solutions. Titled Leadership Opportunities & Challenges for Our Nation’s Courts: Leading Leaders into the New Tomorrow, it convened a dynamic mix of professionals, including many emerging voices in the field, who are passionate about the future of our judicial system. From discussions on the latest technological advancements like AI to strategies for enhancing access to justice, the conference provided a rich platform for learning and collaboration.
This month we are asking young court professionals the question, “What was your biggest takeaway from this year’s NACM Conference?” You will hear directly from young attendees about valuable insights, practical tools, and inspiring connections. Whether you are a seasoned administrator or just starting on your career, this episode will allow you to understand what were the most impactful takeaways from the NACM 2024 Annual Conference.
Today’s Panel Carrie Summers-Nomura, Program Coordinator, Clackamas County Circuit Court, Oregon City, Oregon Tiffany Totah, Court Administrator, Municipal Court, Victoria, Texas Lizzie Alipaz, Court Administrator, Municipal Court, Timnath, Colorado LaTricia Kinlow, Judicial Branch Administrator, Municipal Court, Tukwila, Washington
MiHa Kapaki, Court Administrator, District Court, Grays Harbor County, Washington
Samantha Wallis, Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
July 16th, 2024, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
In previous podcasts, we have discussed the unprecedented hiring crunch facing our country. Intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been characterized by a significant mismatch between the supply of, and demand for young talent.
Despite robust economic recovery efforts, employers in general and courts in particular are struggling to fill empty desks. All the while, jobseekers are running up against barriers that make traditional careers less attractive. Throughout this challenge, a question badgers many employers: What do young job applicants want?
Panelists on previous episodes have suggested a lack of flexible scheduling, hybrid work options, and career advancement opportunities as reasons job seekers go elsewhere. Are these the factors now driving job candidates or does it just come down to money?
This month we will take a deeper dive into how courts are scrambling to recruit and retain skilled employees. Questions we will explore include:
Today’s Panel
Richard Abbott, Program Director for Juvenile & Family Services at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Annapolis, Maryland
Keenon Simmons, Chief Probation Officer for the Superior Court in Atlantic & Cape May Counties, New Jersey
Patricia Norwood-Foden, District Court Administrator for the 15th Judicial District in Chester County, Pennsylvania,
Jamie Velazquez, Organizational Development Analyst for the Superior Court in Orange County, California
June 18th Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Civil filings are falling. They have been for some time. In fact, most court filings have been on a slow decline. In 2018, The National Center for State Courts put out a bulletin stating that nationally every major case category had declined from 2008 to 2016.
There are indications that in some states (California for example), the decline in civil filings started as far back as 1980. This gradual decline seems little affected by economics, court organization, the presence or absence of court self-help centers, the state of the local bar, the type of case management system the court uses, or the amount of filing fees charged. With the possible exception of Texas, this decline appears widespread. This inevitably leads to the critical yet unanswered question “Why is this happening?”
This month we’re talking about a new book just out by Alan Carlson and John Greacen called What is Happening to State Trial Court Civil Filings? We will explore questions including:
· Why didn’t we court professionals see this coming a long time ago?
· Are there changes in our society that are leading to changes in how people view the courts?
· Do we have any idea how people are getting their disputes resolved if it is not by going through the courts?
· Are courts actually ready to do the work to find out what is happening with filings?
Today’s Panel
Alan Carlson: retired court administrator of the Superior Court in Orange County, California;
John Greacen: nationally known consultant on courts and court administration;
Marcus Reinkensmeyer: Deputy State Court Administrator for the Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts.
March 28, 2024, A Question of Ethics Conversation
Join Kevin Bowling as we discuss the ethical issues surrounding the burgeoning topic of courts’ use of artificial intelligence (AI). Kevin discusses a definition of AI and specifically generative AI, existing practical uses in the courts, some misuses of IA, the need for policy and data governance, ethics issues, and the need for transparency to promote public trust and confidence.
Kevin also publicly acknowledges the work of Roger Rand and Casey Kennedy, the entire Joint Technology Committee, as well as gives a sneak peek of the, soon-to-be-released, NACM AI Guide.
Moderator
Kevin Bowling, Retired Circuit Court Administrator, Ottowa County, Michigan
Joining in the Conversation
Courtney Whiteside Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri
Creadell Webb: Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer; First Judicial District, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Erika Schmid, Supervisor, Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon
Stacy Worby: State Jury Coordinator, Alaska Court System, Anchorage