By Ruth Reichard, Education Attorney | Office of Court Services
Court employees are vital workers. You’ve probably always known this, but never has this fact been more apparent. The public expects courts to be fully open and operating whether there is a pandemic or not, and court staff around the state have been crucial to ensuring the continuity of operations.
The good news is that you are not alone. Your colleagues in other counties and states have also adapted to rapidly changing working conditions. The Education Division of the Indiana Office of Court Services would like to suggest several resources that will make court staff jobs easier—some are close to home, while others are national in scope. Some of these resources may also be useful to the public.
Courts.in.gov: The main court website is an excellent resource for courts and court staff.
Public.courts.in.gov: This website’s target audience is the public; however, it can still be a useful tool to court staff, especially as they are asked questions by the public. Encourage your staff to explore all of the online services.
Court Blog Subscriptions: Several court news sources are available, including Court Times, from this subscription site. Other subscriptions include Case Clips, Legislative Updates, and Twitter.
Technology Updates: These are email and text message notices regarding planned or unplanned outages of Odyssey, E-filing, INcite (mycourts.in.gov), mycase.in.gov, public.courts.in.gov, or portal.courts.in.gov.
The Indiana Courts Education Network: This resource is your one-stop shop for training. Think of the ICEN as an online library where you can access recorded, on-demand content, on your schedule and for your interests. To get started, contact [email protected].
The National Association for Court Management: This is a professional organization for court management professionals (similar to the American Bar Association). NACM’s resources include podcasts, videos, written publications, and courses. NACM charges membership dues.
The National Center for State Courts: This is a resource that offers technical assistance and guidance on every aspect of a court’s functions, from language interpretation to court security. The Center’s resources include podcasts, videos, guides, and other publications.
Broadening your professional horizon to include these resources will open many paths to achieving the goal of an accountable and efficient court. You will learn from other courts’ experiences, network with other court staff, and be energized with a big-picture view of the judicial branch.