National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers

Election 2016 and the State Courts

With so much attention being paid to the 2016 presidential election, down-ballot items tend to be forgotten. However, ballot items in four states this November will have a direct impact on state courts. These proposals represent not just questions for voters in a particular year, but also broader discussions about how state courts operate, ranging from judicial age and capacity to the role of independently elected clerks of court.

Continue Reading Election 2016 and the State Courts

Could Atticus Finch get elected today?

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Brock Peters as Tom Robinson in the 1962 film adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” Atticus Finch, the fictional lawyer in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” passionately believed in justice. He didn’t like criminal law, yet he accepted the appointment to represent Tom Robinson, an African-American man charged with raping a young white girl. The story, set in Maycomb County, Alabama, in the early 1930s, portrays a lawyer who felt that the justice system should be colorblind. Had Atticus Finch run for office after the trial, could he have been elected?

Continue Reading Could Atticus Finch get elected today?

5 Facts on How Americans View the U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court holds a unique place in American government. Sitting justices do not have set terms, and they can influence public policy long after the presidents who nominated them and the senators who confirmed them have departed. Partisans have often battled over these nominations because of the court’s ability to reshape or strike down laws favored by one side or another.

Continue Reading 5 Facts on How Americans View the U.S. Supreme Court

First Annual National Trial Court Leadership Conference a Success

Chief Judges and Court Executive Officers from 32 States attended the first annual Trial Court Leadership Academy and Conference held by the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO) in partnership with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). Read a short review and take a look at some photos from the event.

Continue Reading First Annual National Trial Court Leadership Conference a Success

Burger Award nominations being accepted

NAPCO is proud to encourage its members to nominate candidates for the National Center for State Courts’ esteemed Warren E. Burger Award recognizing a court executive officer who has significantly contributed to improving the administration of the state courts. Service may be at the local, state or national levels. This prestigious honor recognizes an individual… Continue Reading Burger Award nominations being accepted

NAPCO Reference Guide on Remote Technology Use by State Courts

A report and reference guide on the use of remote technology in state courts, commissioned by NAPCO and funded through a special grant from the State Justice Institute (SJI), has recently been completed and is now available to court leaders throughout the country. Michael Bridenback (ret.) Court Administrator, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida, aided by Melissa Foss, Judicial Staff Attorney at the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, conducted the research produced the report. The report/reference guide is intended to aid courts in developing plans to use and expand this beneficial technology.

Continue Reading NAPCO Reference Guide on Remote Technology Use by State Courts

36 Hours in Cleveland

Cleveland, the city that is hosting NAPCO’s first national conference this September, has been revitalized with a cherished NBA championship, an energetic downtown, lively food and beer scenes, arty neighborhoods, and a growing hospitality sector.

Continue Reading 36 Hours in Cleveland