Baseline public trust measures are unchanged from one year ago, but with some hints that numbers may rise in the future.
Support for remote hearings continues to grow, and the age gap on this issue is shrinking.
An increasing number of Americans see the courts as a political institution.
While TV news remains paramount, a generational shift is underway that will propel new media to the top.
This year’s State of the State Courts survey provides some cautious optimism regarding public confidence in the state court system. For the past several years, we have tracked declining public confidence in the courts, spurred by declining confidence in a wide range of American institutions generally and the U.S. Supreme Court in particular. This year, we see a plateau or even a very small reversal of this trend on most of our key metrics. Only time will tell if 2023 represents a brief respite or a true turning point in public attitudes toward the courts.
The poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted using online surveys. Respondents were contacted between November 16-19, 2023. Findings are considered accurate within +/- 3 percent, 19 times out of 20. The survey was developed by GBAO, with input from an advisory body of judges, court professionals and NCSC staff. The 2023 survey findings are supplemented by a series of in-person and virtual focus groups which took place in August, September and October.