by Scott Mitchell (AL)
How in the world can it already be summer?! It seems like just a couple of months ago we were gathered in Albuquerque, and now we are just mere days away from convening in Austin for the NCACC 53rd Annual Conference. Deana Williamson has prepared a wonderful week for us, and I hope you will go ahead and register if you have not done so.
The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) each year ask the presidents of the various court professional organizations to submit a written report of each organization’s work for the CCJ/COSCA annual conference. Last week, as I prepared our NCACC report for CCJ/COSCA, I realized just how much we have accomplished this year. Thanks to the hard work of you and our committees, we have completed an arduous two-year process of rewriting our bylaws in plain language, a strategic plan for the NCACC has been prepared for your adoption at our annual meeting, and we applied for and received – for the first time – a grant from the State Justice Institute to help defer the costs of the educational programming at our annual conference. None of this would have been possible without your commitment to the NCACC. For that, thank you!
The Executive Committee met in Tampa, Florida, May 3-4, for our spring meeting. Tampa is going to be a delightful location for our 2027 annual conference. The host hotel, the Hotel Flor, is a beautiful fully restored, century-old hotel in the heart of downtown Tampa. There are plenty of outstanding restaurants within easy walking distance. Plus, there is much to see and do in Tampa. Mark your calendars for July 18-22, 2027, for the 54th Annual Conference.
During our Executive Committee meeting, we considered many items, such as the previously mentioned plain-language revision of the bylaws and the new strategic plan. The Executive Committee also approved separating our investments into two accounts – one for the education fund and one for general operating funds. Additionally, the Executive Committee approved prudent guidelines as to how much income from our investments may be made available each year for the NCACC’s use.
The Executive Committee approved increasing registration fees for our annual conference by $25 this year and $25 next year. This decision was not made hastily or lightly. The costs of conducting our conferences continue to increase, and each of the last four conferences has resulted in operating losses. In these post-pandemic years, hotels are much less likely to give us the favorable terms that we received in the past. The Finance Committee studied the registration fees for the conferences of other court professional organizations as well as the length of those conferences. Not only does the NCACC have one of the longest conferences, but we also have one of the lowest registration costs. In adopting these increases, the executive committee ensured that our registration fees remained in line with the registration fees of both the Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal and the CCJ/COSCA.
“Be the Reason Someone Believes in the Courts”
On a side street two blocks from my office is a local lunch establishment called Mama’s Sack Lunches. Sometimes I will retreat there from the rush of the workday to enjoy a delicious sandwich in solitude. It is the type of establishment where they know you by name and greet you with a smile. All the employees at Mama’s wear shirts bearing the following saying: “Be the Reason Someone Believes in the Goodness of People.” As I write this final column as your NCACC president, I want to encourage us all (to paraphrase the motto of Mama’s Sack Lunches) to “Be the Reason Someone Believes in the Courts.”
The National Center for State Courts annually conducts a public opinion survey regarding the state of state courts. That survey in 2025 showed that 62% of those surveyed had a great deal or some confidence in state courts, and 52% had a great deal or some confidence in the federal courts. However, when asked how well state courts provided “equal justice to all,” only 44% said the state courts did so either well or very well. Eleven years before, that number was 62%. Sadly, the most recent survey showed that 62% feel that the courts are becoming increasingly political. These results are cause for concern.
While much popular opinion regarding the courts is shaped by judicial decisions, we as clerks play a critical role in the public’s perception of the courts. Indeed, we are the public face of the courts. One of the greatest ways we can instill people’s confidence in the courts is by treating fairly all who come before them.
My mother taught junior high English at our hometown’s high school in the 1960s. It was the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and she taught some of the first students to integrate the school. I regret to say those students had a horrendous experience as the first African American students at that school. However, years later, one of those students stated in an interview that a bright spot in her experience at that school was my mother’s English class. Why? Because my mother graded her fairly. By treating people fairly, we can make a world of difference – and perhaps a different world.
In addition to treating people fairly, we can do our part to inspire confidence in the courts by adhering to the NCACC Code of Professional Conduct. If you have never done so, I encourage you to study the Code in detail. (It is found here.) The Code consists of the following 8 Canons:
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Maintain the Highest Standard of Professional Conduct in the Performance of their Duties.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all Activities.
- Members of the Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Perform the Duties of Office Impartially and Diligently.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Engage in Activities to Improve the Law, the Legal System and the Administration of Justice.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Regulate Outside Activities to Minimize Risk of Conflict With Court Related Duties.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Avoid Political Activities Which May Give the Appearance of Bias or Impropriety.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks Should Seek To Improve His or Her Professional Competence and That of His or Her Staff.
- Members of the National Conference of Appellate Courts Should Not Engage in Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion or Political Affiliation.
Let’s be the reason people believe in the courts!