Best Practices Institute

Information Sources

Literature Searches

Staff searches several on-line databases using key words such as best practices, promising practices, and model programs to identify best practices references by subject areas. Documents that are available electronically or through the NCSC’s library are reviewed, and only those that discuss specific practices are included in the resulting reference list. Inclusion on the list does not imply Institute endorsement of particular practices. Rather, the Institute provides the lists as resources for readers to examine and use at their own discretion. Reference lists are available on the following topics: 

• Combating Bias in the Courts. Topics include combating race and ethnic bias, improving court interpretation, increasing diversity, and combating gender bias.

• Court Recording. Topics include recording the court record and standards and certification.

• Family Violence.  Topics include family violence generally, domestic violence courts, coordinated community response, law enforcement response, orders of protection, elder abuse, domestic violence prevention, workplace domestic violence, and resources for judges.

• Human Resources. Topics include job descriptions, recruitment and hiring, compensation and benefits, administration and management, employee retention and recognition, ethics and codes of conduct, performance evaluation, discipline, education and training, and laws and liability.

• Juvenile Justice. Topics include prevention and intervention, detention, probation, mental health, juvenile court, and juvenile justice education.

• Problem-Solving Courts. Topics include drug courts, community courts, domestic violence courts, teen or youth courts, mental health courts, and general problem-solving courts.

NCSC Summaries

Areas of judicial administration that have been the subject of research and evaluation are summarized here.  The summaries are based on research and evaluation studies to date and on the experience of jurisdictions that have implemented the practices. They also offer a quick overview of the history and implementation of the practice and key contacts and references for obtaining additional information. Current documented practices include: 

• Appellate Court "Best Practices" - Executive Summary and Frequently Asked Questions (This practice was document by NCSC staff 3/03)

• Domestic Violence Workplace Policies (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 10/03)

• Expediting Dependency Appeals - Strategies To Reduce Delays (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 10/02)

• Judicial Management of Cases Involving Self-Represented Litigants (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 10/03)

• Jury Term of Service (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 7/01)   

• Management of a Court Interpreters Program (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 10/02)

• Reading and Interpreting Public Opinion on the State Courts (This practice was documents by NCSC staff 4/04)

• Statewide Collection Programs (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 7/01) 

• Successful Caseflow Management Techniques (This practice was documented by NCSC staff 10/02)

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Expert Opinion

Experts help staff identify best practices in areas in which there is a growing consensus among practitioners on the best ways to proceed, but conclusive empirical information on the effectiveness of practices is not yet available. The practices are identified through an iterative approach in which an expert panel discusses common themes and reviews drafts of practices based on the panel’s discussion.

• Emergency Management for Courts

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Individual Jurisdictions 

In emerging areas of judicial administration and more established areas that have been subject to little or no systematic research, the Institute solicits information from courts across the country about practices they have found effective. These field-solicited practices offer a “snap shot” of practices jurisdictions are using to address a specific area and a starting point for other jurisdictions developing or enhancing their own practices in the area. The field-solicited practices are categorized according to subject matter and the amount of information currently available on the effectiveness of the practice. Unless otherwise noted, the Institute does not endorse these practices but provides them as examples of practices other jurisdictions have found effective and useful.

A field-solicitation was conducted on Domestic Violence Civil Protection Orders.  The solicitation was conducted in the summer and fall of 2001. Updates were requested in 7/02. Click here to review the results of the solicitation.

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