Council approves six courts for 'Centers of Excellence' recognition

The Judicial Council approved six courts nominated for the Centers of Excellence designation following review and on‑site assessments by program staff. Michael Smith of OCA presented the nominations and described the program’s assessment criteria across performance and compliance areas; the nominated courts met standards on governance, operations, caseflow management, access and fairness, and compliance areas where applicable.

The council moved to approve the six courts identified by OCA and asked staff to begin drafting administrative rules to govern the program’s operation and future nominations.

Why it matters: The Centers of Excellence program recognizes strong court administration and provides a model for peer learning and technical assistance; the council asked OCA to scale up rulemaking and staff support for the program.