By Liz Garcia (NM), NCACC Executive Committee
I was honored to represent the NCACC and the New Mexico Supreme Court at the 2026 National Association for Court Management (NACM) mid-year conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 17-19, 2026. We at the NCACC started a trend of hosting our 52nd annual conference in New Mexico. During the 2026 NACM mid-year conference, court professionals from around the country built collaborative relationships, learned about a myriad of topics, and came together to advance the rule of law. NACM members were treated to a dynamic flamenco show, an opening reception, a wonderful exhibit show, and inspiring presentations.
NACM is the largest organization of court management professionals in the world with members from all levels and types of courts. The mission of NACM is to be an inclusive member organization dedicated to developing all court professionals as leaders, providing community, sharing information, and advocating on important court topics. The NACM conference provides excellent networking between court professional organizations, including the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), the State Justice Institute (SJI), the Conference of Court Public Information Officers (CCPIO), and the National Association of State Judicial Educators (NASJE), to name a few.
Kelly Hutton, President of the National Association of Court Management, has been supportive of the NCACC, stating: “The National Association for Court Management (NACM) and NCACC share a longstanding and valued partnership rooted in our mutual commitment to advancing the effective administration of justice.”
The NACM mid-year conference theme was America 250: Preserving the Rule of Law and Judicial Independence. In 2026, the American Republic will celebrate its 250th anniversary – the Semiquincentennial, or in short America250. NACM called upon all court professionals to remember and celebrate the foundational principles of our justice system and recommit to advancing them.
The NACM 2026 Midyear Conference focused on what court professionals can do to preserve the Rule of Law and Judicial Independence at a time when there are unprecedented attacks on the judiciary, attacks that are not just political, but fundamental. They question whether our justice system can truly deliver on its ideals.
The mid-year conference had an Opening Plenary: Protecting Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law, featuring Alicia Bannon, Director of the Judiciary Program at the Brennan Center for Justice; Gregg Nunziata, Executive Director of the Society for the Rule of Law; and Beth Clement, NCSC President. The next presentation, Court Principles and Practices: Delivering America’s Promise, was led by Giuseppe Fazari, Assistant Dean of Continuing Education and Professional Studies at Seton Hall University/NCSC; and Marcus Reinkensmeyer, Dean for the Institute for Court Management (ICM) Fellows Program.
We had several breakout sessions including:
- NCSC’s 2026-2030 Strategic Agenda: Shared Vision, Shared Priorities. Jesse Rutledge, NCSC VP of Public Affair; and NCSC President Beth Clement.
- Preserving the Rule of Law in an Age of Disruption. Ileen Gerstenberger, Coach/Vice-President of the National Association of State Judicial Educators (NASJE); and Sandra Engel, Executive Coach/retired judge.
- NACM CORE Session: Caseflow/Workflow. Janet Cornell, court consultant, educator, and author.
- Procedural Fairness Works: Improving Victim Outcomes. Nicole Ticknor, Deputy Court Administrator and Family Violence Coordinated Council Coordinator in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court; and Suvarna Cumings, Clinical Psychologist.
- NACM CORE Session: Governance. Giuseppe Fazari and Marcus Reinkensmeyer.
- Designing for Legitimacy: Effective Court Communications. Marshall Dixon, NM AOC Pretrial Services; Isabel Shapiro, Principal Associate at The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Anne Stotler, Principal Behavioral Designer at ideas42.
- Unlocking Potential: Performance Management for a New Era. Norman Meyer, Ret. Court Administrator.
We opened up Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with a Fireside Chat: Cameras, Constitution, and Confrontation: Preserving Court Integrity with Brandon Kimmel.
There were also several breakout sessions including:
- Judicial Independence: Fragile and Vital. Hon. Lawrence King and Darren Breslin, Assistant Director of Judicial Education/Counsel.
- Inspiring Trust: Next Generation Civics Education and Court Outreach. Anne Fuchs, Director of Communications at the Court of Appeals of Indiana; and Emilie Rietow, Education Administrator at the Florida Supreme Court.
- Data Insights to Support the Rule of Law. World Justice Project.
- NACM CORE Session: Workforce Management – Enhancing Court Trust: Leading Your Frontline Staff. Lauren Kitz and Alicia Evangelides,
- America @ 250 The Rule of Law: Asking Questions for Results. Janet Cornell, Court Consultant.
- Why Your Court Should Have a PIO. Sean O’Sullivan and Darren Toms, Past Presidents of Conference of Court Public Information Officers.
As an Albuquerque host, I was fortunate to moderate a dynamic presentation on Court Security Training and Standards: Lessons Learned with Michael Dzezinski, Director, Arizona Center for Judicial and Court Security. A presentation on Building Bridges: How Leaders Can Enable Staff Innovations was given by Creadell Webb, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania; and Dawn Palermo, Judicial Administrator, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court.
We ended the 2026 NACM Mid-Year Conference with a Closing Plenary that focused on The Rule of Law is at a Crossroads. How Should We Respond? led by Brittany Kauffman, CEO, Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System; and Hon. Jeremy Fogel, Executive Director, Berkeley Judicial Institute.
NACM will have its 2026 annual conference in Jacksonville, Florida, July 16-19, 2026. The NACM Annual Conference will continue to examine potential threats to the Rule of Law caused by major changes in society including the implementation and expansion of technology such as artificial intelligence, the evolving threat environment (both cyber and physical), and the evolving social atmosphere. The Rule of Law must serve as an anchor amid the swirling currents of change. President Scott Mitchell will be the NCACC representative at the 2026 NACM annual conference. Going to a NACM conference allows you to meet great people, discuss meaningful ideas, and celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.