SJI NEWSLETTER SJI NEWSLETTER

In this Issue 

Page 1 

Volume 26, No. 6 

National Summit on Human Trafficking 

and The State Courts: Videos Available Online 

Upcoming Grant 

Deadlines

The following is a list of deadlines through the remainder of 

FY 2016 for new Project, Technical Assistance, and Curriculum Adaptation, and ESP grant 

applications: 

May 1, 2016; and, 

August 1, 2016. 

Please review the SJI Grant 

Guideline for more details. 

National Summit on 

Human Trafficking: 

Videos Available 

Online 

1 

NACM Midyear 

Meeting Recorded 

Sessions 

2 

Coconino County, AZ 

Completes Strategic 

Plan 

2 - 3 

 

 

On October 8 and 9, 2015, teams from around the 

country came together in New York City for the National Summit on Human Trafficking and the State 

Courts hosted by then-Chief Judge Jonathan 

Lippman, with key support from SJI (SJI-15-P-029). 

The teams were made up of chief justices, court administrators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, advocates, and others with an interest or involvement in 

efforts to address human trafficking at the state 

level. There were teams from 46 states, the District 

of Columbia, and four U.S. territories in attendance. 

The summit included panel discussions on Day 1 

March 2016 

focusing on a variety of subjects related to the work 

of the state courts, along with their justice system 

and community partners, in responding to trafficking 

cases and victims. On Day 2, state teams began 

developing action plans. The plans incorporated the 

information and approaches presented on Day 1. 

In order to make the expertise and knowledge shared 

at the Summit more widely available, video of the 

panel discussions is now available on the Summit 

website. Panel Videos from the National Summit 

included a range of topics discussed by experts in the 

field, including: 

Human Trafficking from a Judicial 

Perspective 

Labor Trafficking and Promising 

Programs 

Working Together -Reaching Out to 

Our Justice Partners 

Innovative Strategies to Address HT 

by Courts and Communities 

State Courts Taking Action 

The Human Trafficking and the States Courts Collaborative, played a major role in the National Summit, along with the New York Unified Court System. 

SJI began focusing on human trafficking and the 

state courts over three years ago by supporting the 

HT Collaborative and their work. This National 

Summit was a culmination of several years of work 

on this critical issue. Post-Summit, the HT Collaborative continues to provide technical assistance and 

training to the state courts on human trafficking. 
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SJI Newsletter Volume 26, No. 6 March 2016 

SJI continued its grant support to the National Association for Court 

Management (NACM) in 2016, which ensured that the educational 

sessions of NACM’s Midyear and Annual meetings would be available online (SJI-15-N-030). 

New this year was the inclusion of live streaming, in addition to postconference content being available through the NACM website. Live 

streaming is a popular way for NACM members and non-members to 

receive educational content and learn more about NACM. Anyone 

interested may view online or download the Midyear Meeting content 

at their convenience. Included are high-impact sessions that address 

existing and emerging challenges for court professionals: 

Justice for the Poor - Ensuring a Fair Judicial Process 

for All

Meeting the Challenges of the New Civil Landscape

Extending the NACM Core to Your Court

NACM also maintains an archive of past conference content and highlights accessible via their website. 

NACM Midyear Meeting Content Available Online 

NACM continues to provide education on SJI’s Priority Investment Areas including immigration issues, self-represented litigation, improving 

language access, remote technology, and human trafficking. The 2016 

Annual Meeting will be held July 10 – 14, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Early Bird registration, available through June 3rd, is already underway. 

The Annual Meeting Digital Agenda is available online including plenary topics, breakout session titles, and meetings of several state court 

stakeholder groups. SJI’s Executive Director, Jonathan Mattiello, will 

present with Jesse Rutledge of the NCSC and Stephanie Elliott Hess, 

NACM President, on July 11th regarding the State of the State Courts 

2015 Poll. This breakout session, like others, will explore the provision 

of justice, court performance, and the court manager’s role in maintaining accountability and transparency in order to ensure public trust and 

confidence in the judicial branch. 

Courts of Coconino County, Arizona Complete 

Revisions to Long Range Strategic Plan 

The Courts in Coconino County, which is situated in the north central 

part of Arizona and seated in Flagstaff has been committed to longrange strategic planning efforts since 2000. Every five years, with the 

input from justice system and community partners, a dedicated team of 

judges, court administrators, and staff hold a Strategic Planning Forum, 

where the Coconino Courts Strategic Plan and Priorities are updated. 

In late 2015, with support from SJI and technical assistance provided 

by PRAXIS Consulting, Inc., Justice 2035: Charting a Course for 

Courts in Coconino County was completed (SJI-15-T-037). 

Each Strategic Planning Forum held since 2000 routinely attracts participation by over 100 stakeholders, with 128 participants contributing 

their time in 2015 to the following group activities: 

1. Completing a critical assessment of the Courts, summarizing the 

Courts’ greatest strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats/

challenges (SWOT analysis); and, 

2. Identifying and prioritizing suggested strategic initiatives in each 

of the five strategic focus areas. 

Among the greatest challenges faced by Coconino Courts according to 

responses acquired during the Forum were: 

1. Lack of resources/declining budgets; 

2. Increasing need for legal assistance/services; and, 

3. Increasing need for treatment programs/services. 

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SJI Board of Directors

Acting Chairman 

Daniel J. Becker 

State Court Administrator 

Utah AOC 

Salt Lake City, UT 

Secretary 

Gayle A. Nachtigal 

Senior Circuit Court Judge 

Washington County Circuit Court 

Hillsboro, OR 

Treasurer 

Hernan D. Vera 

Principal 

Bird Marella P.C. 

Los Angeles, CA 

Chase T. Rogers 

Chief Justice 

Supreme Court of Connecticut 

Hartford, CT 

Jonathan Lippman 

Chief Judge of New York (ret.) 

New York Court of Appeals 

New York, NY 

David V. Brewer 

Justice 

Oregon Supreme Court 

Salem, OR 

Wilfredo Martinez 

County Judge 

9th Judicial Circuit of Florida 

Orlando, FL 

Marsha J. Rabiteau 

Executive Director 

Legal Policy Strategies Group 

Bloomfield, CT 

John B. Nalbandian 

Partner 

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 

Cincinnati, OH 

Isabel Framer 

President 

Language Access Consultants, LLC 

Copley, OH

Jonathan D. Mattiello 

Executive Director 

The State Justice Institute is a federallyfunded, non-profit corporation established by 

federal law in 1984 to improve the quality of 

justice in the state courts. 

SJI Newsletter Volume 26, No. 6 March 2016 

Identified strengths included the competency of court professionals, a commitment to Family Law and Pro Se services, as well as focus on language 

access and alternative programs, such as problem-solving courts and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The Forum was eager to see improvements 

in the following: 

1. Improve/expand technology; 

2. Improve facilities and security; and, 

3. Provide better customer service and enhance access. 

A core component of the final report is breaking down Strategic Focus Areas 

(SFAs) into manageable tasks, making the outcomes more attainable and 

clearly understood across the courts and their partners. The Coconino Courts 

settled on the following five SFAs: 

Access and Quality Services 

Fair and Timely Resolution and Efficient Operations 

Strong Relations and Partnerships 

Professional, Competent, and Engaged Workforce 

Court Infrastructure 

Consistent with SJI-funded grants, the full final report is available through the 

National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Library eCollection. 

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