Strengthening Rural Courts

Description

This workshop is designed to strengthen the ability of state court systems and rural court leaders - judges, court administrators, and clerks of court - to improve court operations in their jurisdictions. Rural jurisdictions, because of sparse populations, geographic distance, and transportation problems, often face service delivery issues that are very different from the problems faced in urban courts. Issues common to many rural courts that are addressed at the workshop include outmoded facilities and related court security problems, the handling of cases involving self-represented litigants, delivery of substance abuse and mental health treatment services, overcoming language barriers and obtaining qualified interpreter services, resolving ethical problems arising from personal relationships in small communities, and provision of indigent defense services. The workshop is very interactive, drawing upon the experience and expertise of the participants themselves in facilitated plenary and small group sessions. All participants, or participating teams, will develop an action plan for addressing key issues and improving court operations in their home jurisdictions.

JMI's Experience with this Curriculum

JMI developed and presented a prototype two and a half day seminar on Strengthening Rural Courts for teams from eight states in April 2004, with funding support from the State Justice Institute (SJI). A report on the project, including curriculum materials developed for the prototype seminar and the results of initial efforts to implement the action plans developed at the seminar, is available from JMI, JERITT, or from any of the SJI state repository libraries.

Adapting the Curriculum for Your Jurisdiction

Curriculum materials for a two and a half day program have been developed. The workshop could be presented for practitioners from a single state or from a group of states. In order to adapt the program to your situation, JMI suggests working with a committee that includes judges, clerks, and administrators knowledgeable about the issues facing rural courts in the jurisdictions that will be represented at the workshop. Optimally, the program will draw on the experience and expertise of leading judges and administrators from participating jurisdictions, who will be asked to make informal presentations and help lead discussions. JMI faculty will present the curriculum in collaboration with participant faculty and will serve as facilitators for plenary and small group sessions.

Presentation Options

The prototype seminar was two and a half days in length, and this appears to be the optimal length. However, the workshop can be condensed to as short as a day and a half, covering fewer issues. Additionally, JMI can present modules of the program at state judicial conferences or state association meetings.

Contact

Barry Mahoney at bmahoney (at) jmijustice.org