Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as Pillars of Justice For Courts

How do we provide meaningful access to justice to a more diverse community? Why is our system of justice important in the lives of those who bring their disputes to the court and the community as a whole? How do we demonstrate respect, dignity, compassion, fairness, and equity in everything we say, think, or do to engender public trust and confidence? How do we balance judicial independence with transparency and accountability as stewards of the public’s trust and entrusted resources? How do we become a more vibrant, relevant, diverse, inclusive, and equitable court system for both our internal and external stakeholders? This curriculum has been developed to learn and address key aspects of this last, important question related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This course begins with the review of key DEI terms, the importance of DEI in living up to our ideals, an introduction to tools and practices to become a better court in key performance areas, and incorporating DEI as the lens through which we examine our governance, policies, practices, procedures, mission, and vision.