National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers

Ten lessons from the first two years of COVID-19

Two years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Since then, more than six million lives around the world have been lost to the disease, and daily life has been upended in countless ways. Some countries are now regaining a degree of normality, though the threat of another variant-induced wave of disease remains. On this second anniversary, we reflect on ten things the world has learned through the course of the pandemic.

WEBINAR: How to Exercise Judicial Leadership Power Wisely in Transforming Trial Courts

Trial court chief and presiding judges have considerable power to promote change, but they often do not fully use it. This webinar explores the various dimensions of the formal and informal leadership power held by top judicial leaders, their hesitancy to use it, structural barriers in exerting it, and ways to effectively harness their power for positive change.

Why have Felony Murder Rates Soared? …a Look at Rising Serious Crime in America

It was a short honeymoon. On January 1st, Alvin Bragg assumed the office of Manhattan district attorney. One of the new class of “progressive prosecutors” – criminal justice reformers who aim to reduce the number of people in prison – Mr. Bragg launched a spate of policy changes. Offenses like burglary and possession of certain weapons would be downgraded; other crimes like prostitution and resisting arrest would no longer be prosecuted at all. Weeks later, New York City witnessed a sudden surge in violent crime. Two police officers were killed on the job. Mr. Bragg had to announce a U-turn.

WEBINAR: Courts, Democracy and the Polarization of America… Ways to Strengthen Public Trust in the Rule of Law

Guardians of the rule of law is a phrase often used to define the overall purpose of courts in the United States. Although there are many procedural and substantive dimensions to this concept, it essentially means an independent judiciary is entrusted with safeguarding the law as the highest authority in society. It requires courts to apply the law fairly, equally, and factually (truthfully) to all persons and all public and private institutions, including the government itself.

2023 NAPCO Conference – BOSTON

WHEN: August 20-23, 2023
WHERE: The conference hotel is the Omni Parker House, 60 School Street, Boston, MA 02108

Click through for all the details!

WEBINAR: Arizona’s Groundbreaking Venture… Eliminating Peremptory Challenges

This webinar, originally presented on January 27, 2022, examines how the Arizona courts responded to the announcement by the Arizona Supreme Court in 2021 that peremptory challenges would be eliminated.

WEBINAR: The Importance and Value of Kindness in Leading Courts

The need to lead with kindness in times of increased uncertainty and stress – the pandemic – is undeniable. Court leaders are expected to show a more empathetic style of leadership in such situations. Most do. But as COVID-19 and its many variants eventually evolve to become a flu-like menace, kindness as a leadership principle will remain.

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