September 15th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode 108 Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management In today's highly polarized political climate, courts must be prepared to face not only criticism inside the courtroom, but also relentless scrutiny in the court of public opinion. This month, we look at increasingly … Continue reading Courts, the New Digital Media and Public Opinion: What Do You as a Court Leader Need to Know?
Staff Retention – Don’t Make it an Afterthought!
When I started this blog I shared one of the best pieces of leadership advice I ever received: “The most important asset in any organization are people.”[i] Unfortunately, many leaders fail to follow through and properly manage staff across the entire employment cycle. Last month I read a particularly incisive Substack post about a key … Continue reading Staff Retention – Don’t Make it an Afterthought!
Justice by Design: Can We Achieve Open, Standardized Court Data?
August 18th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode 107 This Episode was originally released on July 15, 2025 Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management From the Archives: We’re revisiting this important conversation about the National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) project. Although this episode was originally released in July … Continue reading Justice by Design: Can We Achieve Open, Standardized Court Data?
When the Court Scale Tips: AI, Innovation, and Trust
July 21st, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast, Episode 106 Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management AI promises greater efficiency, lower costs, and better public service, but it also raises concerns about privacy, bias, job displacement, and accountability. This panel explores where courts should draw the line. Artificial intelligence is currently … Continue reading When the Court Scale Tips: AI, Innovation, and Trust
Justice by Algorithm? AI, Job Anxiety, and the Future of Courts
June 16th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management When former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, real estate executive Gloria Caulfield, and music executive Scott Borchetta praised artificial intelligence during recent commencement addresses, graduates responded not with applause but with boos. For a growing number of … Continue reading Justice by Algorithm? AI, Job Anxiety, and the Future of Courts
Can Hiring a Court Manager Be Merit-Based?
December 16th, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management There are strong arguments favoring selection of court managers based on objective merit-focused criteria. While there is little desire to expand the “merit system” to the managerial level, hiring and promotion decisions rooted in proven … Continue reading Can Hiring a Court Manager Be Merit-Based?
2025 WJP Rule of Law Index
The 2025 Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project paints a dismal picture of the state of the Rule of Law around the world. We need to take action to reverse the downward trend in far too many countries.
Fulfilling the Public’s Trust: Competency
Competency is the sum of the knowledge and skills required for effective performance.
Disengaged and Disappearing: What Is the Threat to Our Courts?
September 16th, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management Employee disengagement is a critical national issue, one that quietly undermines productivity, economic growth, and workplace culture across the United States. According to a 2024 Gallup Corporation report: Only 33% of Employees are Actively Engaged … Continue reading Disengaged and Disappearing: What Is the Threat to Our Courts?
NACM’s 40th Anniversary Conference’s Outstanding Education Program
Last month I attended the National Association for Court Management (NACM)[i] annual conference in Omaha, where we celebrated NACM’s 40th anniversary. As a Charter Member of NACM, it was wonderful to see how much NACM has grown and achieved over the decades. At the conference there was great professional networking, a fine vendor exhibition, and … Continue reading NACM’s 40th Anniversary Conference’s Outstanding Education Program
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