The trial court anticipates new conditions and emergent events and adjusts its operations as necessary. Effective trial courts are responsive to emergent public issues such as drug abuse, child and spousal abuse, AIDS, drunken driving, child support enforcement, crime and public safety, consumer rights, gender bias, and the more efficient use of fewer resources. Standard 4.5 requires trial courts to recognize and respond appropriately to such public issues. A trial court that moves deliberately in response to emergent issues is a stabilizing force in society and acts consistently with its role of maintaining the rule of law.
Courts can support, tolerate, or resist societal pressures for change.
In matters for which the trial court may have no direct responsibility but nonetheless may help identify problems and shape solutions, the trial court takes appropriate actions to inform responsible individuals, groups, or entities about the effects of these matters on the judiciary and about possible solutions. Measurement Overview . One measure is associated with Standard 4.5. Measure 4.5.1 is a retrospective assessment of how the court has responded to public policy issues in the past. Like other measures in this area, Measure 4.5.1 presupposes that a steering committee has been formed to oversee data collection and its interpretation.