Nearly two-thirds of Americans express trust in state courts, says new poll
December 20, 2024 -- More Americans are expressing trust and confidence in America’s state courts according to
NCSC’s annual State of the State Courts survey.
The newly released 2024 survey shows that nearly two-thirds (63%) of Americans express trust and confidence in America’s state courts. It’s the second consecutive year that the trust barometer has moved up.
“Public trust and confidence is the stock and trade of the courts,” said Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the D.C. Court of Appeals and co-chair of the CCJ/COSCA Public Engagement, Trust, and Confidence committee. “It’s heartening to see this survey reflect that most Americans feel we are earning that trust. As national court leaders, we are committed to earning that confidence every day.”
Additional positive gains for state courts
Growing numbers of Americans are giving state courts a positive “job approval” rating. This year’s 54% rating is up from 44% in 2021 and marks the fourth year of this positive trend.
The 2024 survey also reveals that 63% of Americans agree that state courts are “committed to protecting individual and civil rights” and that 59% believe that state courts “treat people with dignity and respect.”
“More than 95 percent of all cases are filed in state courts,” said Marcia M. Meis, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts and co-chair of the CCJ/COSCA Public Engagement, Trust, and Confidence committee. “It’s vital that our state courts continue their hard work of improving access to justice and demonstrating the ways in which they are ethical, accountable and transparent in order to maintain the public’s trust.”
Opportunities for improvement
Naturally, there are also areas of concern that state court leaders must work to address.
Only one in four respondents agree that courts are doing enough to help individuals navigate the court system without an attorney. Perhaps not surprisingly, 64% support a proposal that would allow states to “license non-lawyers . . . to be able to provide limited legal services.”
Respondents were evenly split on whether they believe state courts provide (47%) or do not provide (47%) “equal justice to all.” This divide supports findings revealed in earlier NCSC focus groups that identified “two systems of justice” as a concern of many participants.
Those focus groups formed the basis for the publication of Beyond Civics Education, a report released by the CCJ/COSCA Public Engagement, Trust, and Confidence committee in September. That report suggests that courts should change their strategy to include greater engagement rather than just one-way education.
The report also encourages courts to make the public more aware of courts with specialized dockets, sometimes known as problem-solving courts. For example, according to the new survey, 88% of Americans support additional funding for state courts that pursue the creation of programs to connect homeless veterans with shelter, health care, and substance abuse services," programs often referred to as Allied Legal Professionals (ALPs).
According to the Legal Services Corporation, “common responsibilities for ALPs include advising clients on their rights, communicating with opposing party counsel, preparing legal documents for clients, and advocating on clients' behalf for purposes of settlement.” Washington was the first state to pilot such a program in 2012, and numerous other states, including Utah and Arizona, have followed suit.
As one focus group participant observed: “What’s needed in New York City is going to be very different from what’s needed in rural Utah. I think the fact that state courts and local courts can create programs that are what’s needed in those communities gives me a lot of hope.”
About the State of the State Courts survey
The survey questionnaire is developed by GBAO Strategies, in consultation with a steering committee of court leaders and NCSC staff. This year’s online poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters between December 9 and 12.