The chief justice of the highest court in Massachusetts warned about growing dissatisfaction with the judicial system nationwide, calling on her colleagues and counterparts to continue improving the way they serve plaintiffs, defendants, families and attorneys.
In her annual State of the Judiciary speech Tuesday, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd said there are "serious signs that respect for the courts is declining across the country," according to an official copy of her remarks.
Recent polling suggests the share of Americans who believe state courts provide equal justice for all users has declined from 62% to 46% over the last decade, and those reporting a great deal or fair amount of trust and confidence in the federal judiciary has also fallen from 80% in 1999 to 48% this year, according to Budd.
Quoting from a Committee on Public Engagement, Trust and Confidence report from the Conference of Chief Justices, Budd warned that many Americans "believe two systems of justice exist," with one reserved only for "those with influence, connections, and power."
"So what do we do to address this decline in public trust? While civics education is vitally important, our Committee's Report said that that's not enough," Budd said. "As judges, we need to engage more directly with our communities and show how we are addressing their needs and concerns through innovative projects such as specialized dockets, diversion programs, and mental health initiatives."
She called on judiciary leaders to emphasize "accountability and transparency in our operations."
Budd hit on examples of work done in Massachusetts that she thinks models the right approach, including the state's "strong Code of Judicial Ethics," court proceedings that are open to the public, livestreamed appellate oral arguments, efforts to provide public wifi and digital signage in courthouses, and an abundance of specialty courts focusing on issues such as substance use disorders.
"Obviously, we are not perfect. We still have much work to do, and we need to remain committed every day to doing that work, identifying and acknowledging where we still come up short, and striving to improve," Budd said. "Nonetheless, we are making progress, and I believe that progress may be attributable to the fact that our courts have been doing the kind of work that is recommended in the Committee Report."
