National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers

WEBINAR: To be Asian in America’s State and Local Trial Courts

It is a myth that 22-million people comprising the American Asian communities have “gained” social and economic equality. As a racial/ethnic group they are extremely diverse, representing more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia, Hawai’i, the Pacific Islands, and the Indian subcontinent, each with unique histories, cultures, languages and other characteristics. Their education, economic situation, and occupation levels are wide-ranging.

Editorial: Why virtual court is a threat to our justice system

The elimination, in various venues, of the in-person courtroom experience is stunting the professional growth of new lawyers and new judges alike. We call for the establishment of hybrid hearings, which provide lawyers the option of virtual/in-person courtroom appearances for all hearings and non-jury trials. Jury trials should be exclusively in person for the lawyers.

State, county and municipal courts are facing delays, backlogs, and workforce shortages

Delays in court hearings have become a significant problem at the state, county and municipal levels, according to the report. Among respondents who participate in hearings on a weekly basis, 79% reported that delays of more than 15 minutes have affected their hearing process.

ABA Task Force Issues 14 Guiding Principles to Improve Plea Bargaining System

In a new report published Wednesday, the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s Plea Bargain Task
Force provides 14 principles that outline how plea bargaining should operate within the larger criminal justice system. These principles are based on testimony from criminal justice experts and people impacted by plea bargaining, as well as scholarly and legal reports on the process, state and federal rules of criminal procedure, and other materials.

NAPCO Board Chair teaches in Saudi Arabia

Last year, Judge John J. Russo received an invitation from King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to teach a course in basic criminology. In narrowing the topic to an issue that would be helpful to the Saudis, given the differences in U.S. and Saudi justice systems, he settled on a program focused on financial crime. He turned to the Egmont Group, which facilitates and prompts the exchange of information, knowledge, and cooperation amongst member financial intelligence units worldwide. With their help, he was able to structure a course.

World’s Longest Study Of Adult Development Offers Good Advice for Happy Living

What is it that we found that really contributes to well-being? There were two big items over 85 years: one is taking care of our health. The part that surprised us was that the people who were happiest, who stayed healthiest as they grew old, and who lived the longest were the people who had the warmest connections with other people. In fact, good relationships were the strongest predictor of who was going to be happy and healthy as they grew old.

Where Have All America’s Workers Gone?

Organizations’ hiring plans suggest that the economy remains robust for now. Total labor supply (people who have or are seeking jobs) is roughly back to pre-pandemic levels. By contrast, labor demand (filled plus open jobs) has increased by 3M positions. The excess demand represents about 3% of all those employed, which has contributed to big nominal wage gains. Slower GDP growth—whether a recession or not—will help restore balance.

Get Involved

NAPCO 2026