Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts

Are you interested in a leadership position within a growing court services organization that directly impacts the quality of justice for our communities and the people who live in Washington? Do you want to work beside self-motivated and like-minded policy, research, technical assistance, court program and operations experts? If so, the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts is looking for you.   The Office of Court Innovation is a dynamic sub division of the Administrative Office of the Courts that includes the Washington State Center for Court Research, the Supreme Court Commissions, the Language Access Team, Family and Youth Justice Programs, the Behavioral Health Team, and the Equity and Access Team. A profound interest in service to your AOC colleagues, service to Washington Courts, and service to underrepresented and marginalized groups are paramount.   The AOC is a people-centered service organization focused on its organizational values of Integrity, Inclusion, Accountability, and Teamwork. With over 400 employees, a FY 23-25 operating budget of $345 million, and an expanding book of business, the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts is looking for a credible, creative, and compassionate leader to help the Office of Court Innovation and its professional staff navigate the path forward.   As the Associate Director – Office of Court Innovation, you are an organizational leader who reports directly to the State Court Administrator/Director.  For more information or to apply, please visit our website at: https://lnkd.in/gMRHwQRY

The Washington Supreme Court has accepted a case, Walsh v. Hobbs #103174-2, regarding a question of law involving fiscal impact statements on ballots for certain initiatives in the November election. Following an expedited briefing schedule, Supreme Court justices will deliberate in a closed-door “en banc” conference (similar to a jury deliberation) August 9th. Legal briefs and other documents for this case can be found by visiting the Appellate Court Public Document Portal, choosing “Supreme Court Documents,” and inputting the case number with no dash. 

If you submitted a public comment on a recent proposed change in court rules, please check to confirm that it was received! Technical issues with a new web page may have interfered with the receipt and processing of some public comments on proposed Washington court rule changes set to be considered for adoption by the Washington Supreme Court at its July 10 administrative en banc conference. Because of this concern, the Court’s Rules Committee recommended the Court defer action in order to ensure that all comments can be received and considered. Anyone who has submitted a comment through the Court Rules web page since January 1, 2024, and whose comment is not posted on the website, can resubmit the comment to rulescomments@courts.wa.gov no later than August 23, 2024. The Court will plan to take action on these pending rules at its September en banc administrative conference. See our media advisory for more details on how to check if your comments was received, and how to resubmit a comment if it cannot be found: https://lnkd.in/gEtW7jDU #washingtoncourts #courtrules #publiccomment #washingtonstatesupremecourt #psa

"Independence took courage, engagement and a deep understanding of the stakes involved; keeping our democracy requires the same. To survive, our great democratic experiment needs citizens who are well-informed, with many taking their turn to serve the greater good as public servants, and public leaders, continuing the tradition that government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.” -Nicole Ack, AOC Senior Courts Program Analyst With Independence Day – and a major election – upon us, it’s important to understand the basis of our nation’s foundation, how it informs our executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, and how it impacts civil rights. And through civic education, we can better learn our roles and responsibilities as well-informed, empowered citizens. TVW, Washington State’s award-winning public affairs network and host of “Teach with TVW” civic resource modules, is turning the spotlight on our fall election with “Elections Explained.” This ongoing series leads us through the 2024 election season with video content relevant for all, and tailored pieces for students including supportive lesson plans, study guides and student workbooks. From exploring state conventions to understanding candidate endorsements, strengthen your knowledge and help inform others: https://lnkd.in/gZUJBi9A Wishing you a safe and happy Independence Day! TVW Washington's Public Affairs Network #waelection #wadelegates #wavoters #wagov #civics101 #socialstudies #civicengagement #civicseducation #teachwithtvw #washingtoncourts

“We believe that interdependence produces common ground where cooperation and communication lead to better court performance.” -Washington State Court Administrator Dawn Marie Rubio Earlier this week, AOC hosted an inspired gathering of thought leaders, comprised of 40 teams of presiding judges and court administrators from across Washington state. The Better Together Leadership Summit, held over three days in Vancouver, WA, tackled the ever-present concern of isolation and those court leaders isolated from one another and from other professions. Whether it be psychological isolation or physical (such as remote locales or single judge courts), employing strategic means of overcoming isolation through resilient leadership, collegiality, collaboration and team-building served as the foundation of this second-annual summit. Providing participants an “out of the courthouse” opportunity for interaction among leaders, peers, and executive teams, the summit sessions promoted open discourse and view exchanges, and encouraged those present to test or challenge ideas in a welcoming space. From strengthening roles of the presiding judge and court administrator, creating and sustaining a dynamic workforce, building public trust and confidence, and improving relations with the media, the summit fostered strategic plans of action for participants to apply to their jurisdictions. Said Rubio, “Ultimately, the measure of Better Together 2024 will be what happens when you return home, what you do about the conclusions and ideas discussed here. The AOC, committed to the idea that we are truly better together, will provide support and structure to you and your courts in these important areas.” Full summit photo album at: https://lnkd.in/gsE4cG6e #bettertogether #washingtoncourts #courtinnovation #courtperformance #teamwork #washingtonstate

Celebrating the launch of our new podcast! Discover “Washington Courts Report," a monthly audio series that explores the state’s court system, covering some of the most exciting developments within the AOC and throughout Washington’s courts. Our debut episode highlights Washington's Therapeutic Court Month, featuring: -A special proclamation from the governor -The launch of Washington's Therapeutic Court Alumni Association -A groundbreaking tool that assesses racial and ethnic disparities in therapeutic courts -Washington's representation at a prestigious national conference for treatment and therapeutic court professionals Tune in on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. You can also catch each episode upon release at https://lnkd.in/g3srw7HJ. #washingtoncourts #washingtonstate #judicialnews #podcast #treatmentcourtmonth #therapeuticcourts

Since its July 2023 launch, AOC’s Blake Refund Bureau has been providing refunds to Washingtonians with Blake-qualifying drug possession convictions. What determines a Blake conviction, and what forms of relief are available? Legal aid advocacy group Living with Conviction (LwC) is hosting a “Blake Coffee Break” virtual conversation with LwC legal empowerment members and AOC Blake Refund Bureau representatives tomorrow at noon PST. This is a great opportunity for anybody interested to learn more about the State v Blake state Supreme Court decision that overturned the felony drug law, and hear how this ruling can provide both financial relief and the clearing of the conviction from one’s criminal record. Register for free here: https://lnkd.in/gKjBxejW #statevblake #drugpossession #legalempowerment #visualizejustice #washingtoncourts

“We want to let judges know that we’re here to help. That it’s OK to seek help.” -Judge Mary Logan, Spokane Municipal Court, JASP board member and peer counselor Our quarterly newsletter, Full Court Press, showcases the remarkable efforts of our team and judicial partners. In this new issue, Washington State Court Administrator Dawn Marie Rubio sheds light on court wellness, examining the increasing confrontation and harassment in the courthouse and its harmful impact on judicial branch workers. With a civic health theme carried throughout this issue, learn about civility initiatives throughout Washington and recent de-escalation training for AOC staff. Read about the Judicial Assistance Services Program (JASP) providing judicial officers peer counseling and referral services to foster proactivity in both wellness and job function. And discover the vast wellness education programs and resources that are available. Additionally, learn about a new assessment tool for therapeutic courts to help identify and address racial and ethnic disparities; hear about AOC’s Court Education Services’ new training and education efforts for courts statewide; get apprised on a major water adjudication that is informing new processes and resources for courts; hear takeaways from the 2024 legislative session; learn about recent and upcoming events including traveling court, a Minority and Justice Commission symposium on the impacts of sentencing, Family Reunification Month, Washington Hope Week “Science of Hope” presentations… and much more! And, of course, join us in celebrating the dedication and accomplishments of our hardworking team! Full Court Press, Vol 2 2024: https://lnkd.in/gQNyzAVg #judiciary #washingtonstate #law #washingtoncourts #judicialnews

The Administrative Office of the Courts had several new job opportunities posted last week. For more information about these positions, to review the job description, inquire about benefits, or to apply, please click below: Staff Attorney - Supreme Court Commisioner's Office - https://lnkd.in/gG37HEjg Court Program Coordinator - https://lnkd.in/gdf8Pycz Appellate Business Analyst - https://lnkd.in/g_duUcAx #courts #administrative #court #careers #jobopportunities

“Hope is the belief that the future will be better than today and you have the power to make it so,” -Dr. Chan Hellman, Ph.D, Director of the Hope Research Center, University of Oklahoma   Transformative change begins with commitment, education and community collaboration – and AOC’s Family and Youth Justice Programs team (FYJP) is working to cultivate positive progress for Washington youth and families via Hope Rising Washington. This new initiative, based from a pioneering model by Hope Rising Oklahoma, addresses how to implement the power and science of hope to better peoples’ lives, strengthen communities, improve organizational culture and drive positive systems change. Hope has become a key predictor of success, with over 2K studies applying this powerful change driver with measurable, transformative applications.   Our FYJP team, together with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, community providers and philanthropy organizations, is helping to raise awareness of the Hope initiative across Washington during Hope Week, June 24-26, in a series of educational and inspirational presentations led by Hope Research Center Director and Hope Rising book co-author Dr. Chan Hellman.   Visit https://hoperisingwa.org for information on Hope Week events, presentations and Hope overview videos featuring Dr. Chan Hellman and AOC’s FYJP Manager Kelly Warner-King. The “Hope in Community” and “Hope Centered Leadership” presentations are free and open to the public, with registration required. Additionally, a two-day Hope Navigator certification training is scheduled for September.   #HopeRising #WashingtonCourts #scienceofhope #communityempowerment #courtinnovation