More Americans are expressing confidence in state courts in the United States, according to a national survey of registered voters.

The annual State of the State Courts survey from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) showed that trust and confidence in state courts rose from 61% in 2023 to 63% in the most recent survey, conducted a month ago.

The survey also found that 63% of respondents agree that state courts are “committed to protecting individual and civil rights” and 59% believe state courts “treat people with dignity and respect.” More than 95% of all cases in the United States are filed in state courts, NCSC noted. The remainder are handled in federal courts.

A growing number of people also gave state courts a positive “job approval” rating. The survey’s 54% positive job approval rating increased from 44% in 2021, and marks the fourth year of an upward trend.

Opportunities for Improvement
The survey also identified areas of concern for state court leaders.

Only one in four respondents agreed that courts are doing enough to help individuals navigate the court system without an attorney. In addition, 64% supported allowing states to “license non-lawyers … to be able to provide limited legal services.”

Respondents were evenly split on whether they believed state courts provide (47%) or don’t provide (47%) “equal justice to all.”  This divide supports findings from earlier NCSC focus groups that many participants are concerned about two systems of justice – “one for those with influence, connections, and power, and another one for everyone else.” The focus groups formed the basis for the publication of Beyond Civics Education , a report released in September 2024. It concluded that to build greater public trust in courts, education programs about the judicial system need to be supplemented with more strategic messaging. Among the key messages: reinforce that state courts are local institutions where most cases are heard, courts are accountable to the law and to state and federal constitutions, and judges are required to adhere to rigorous codes of judicial conduct. The report also suggests focusing on courts as problem solvers, humanizing court successes, and sharing those stories on multiple platforms.  

NCSC’s December 2024 survey was an online poll of 1,000 registered voters. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.