The National Center for State Courts’ 2024 survey on the State of State Courts shows increased public trust in state court systems. This year, 63% of survey respondents expressed trust in their state courts, the second year in a row in which the number has climbed. In addition, 54% gave their courts a positive job approval rating, up from 44% just three years ago.
This is indeed a positive trend, especially with so much political effort on the federal level being devoted to artificially depressing the courts’ legitimacy. It’s a signal that Americans can distinguish between political posturing and the important work that their state and local courts do every day.
There is more work to be done. Distressingly — but perhaps unsurprisingly — only one in four respondents believes that state courts are doing enough to help self-represented litigants navigate the court system. But overall, the trends are in the right direction, and a sign that state courts generally have earned the confidence of their communities.
The Interdependent Third Branch 