Check out Justice Roger’s State of the Judiciary Speech.

For starters, there’s no more waiting in the rain because someone had to check his cellphone. That and all of Connecticut’s courts now open at the same time.

What I think Justice Rogers understands is our system of justice depends on public trust in our courts and that trust is built through “providing the best possible services to individuals who use our courts.”

In yesterday’s speech, Justice Rogers said that over the past 2 fiscal years over a million cases have been filed in Connecticut’s superior courts and nearly that many have been disposed of.

Justice Roger’s cited a number of improvements in Connecticut’s courts including a foreclosure mediation program, an improved judicial branch website, and the creation of a spanish language judicial website. Good stuff.

Here’s the line that really jumped out at me:

While we know we need to provide services for crime victims and their families, while also ensuring that a defendant’s rights are protected, we can’t forget about the person who has to take an unpaid day off from work to address a child support issue or to contest a speeding ticket. If, by the end of the day, they leave more bewildered than when they came in, then we have failed to provide the public service they deserve.

Our Chief Justice, who hears the most complex legal issues in our State, goes to work thinking about the working guy waiting in a line in motor vehicle court in Rockville because he got a ticket for going 62 in a 55.

Why does this matter?

Because that guy will likely never get before Justice Rogers in Court (though, I’ve seen defendants insist they will fight their speeding ticket all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court) but based on his experience his perception of everything that happens in Connecticut’s courts is based in part on how he was treated while fighting his speeding ticket.

Building trust is like building Rome – it’s built over time.

I came across this line in your speech but decided to exclude it from my upcoming post:

Another key component of our strategic plan is educating the public about the Judicial Branch. Our most effective ambassadors in this effort are our judges, and they have been out in force.

My question is: have you considered Twitter? Great way to inform, educate, and engage in discussion with the public or a bunch of CT law blogging geeks.

A quick search reveals that “The_Real_Justice_Rogers” is still available as a username.

We don’t care if you’re eating peanuts but information about the our courts from the Chief Justice in 140 characters or less would be cool.

I’m pleased to report that logic and common sense are ruling the day.

A number of court forms have recently been updated and improved.

For starters, the civil summons form underwent a complete and much need makeover.

My favorite change is that this language was added to the form:

The following statement has been added: “The Return Date is not a hearing date.

You do not have to come to court on the Return Date unless you receive a separate notice telling you to come to court.”

I’ve come across numerous people who receive a civil summons and take the return date off from work thinking they have to be in court.

Little things make a big difference.

I credit Chief Justice Rogers for setting the tone that exactly these kinds of improvements can and do make a difference for all those involved with Connecticut’s courts.