State Trial Courts Conducting Survey of Customers, Visitors

Nebraska state trial courts are asking customers and visitors to participate in a survey to measure opinions on the courts’ accessibility and fairness.

The results of the survey will be used by the Access to Justice Commission to improve equal access to swift, fair justice in all Nebraska state courts.

The survey, designed by the National Center for State Courts, follows Nebraska Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican’s “Equity Statement,” released in June, in which Heavican highlighted a number of areas that the state’s judicial system can improve upon.

Noting that Nebraska’s state motto is “Equality Before the Law,” Heavican wrote that, while he is proud of the way the courts have addressed equal access to justice, there is always room for improvement.

All court users, including litigants, witnesses, jurors, attorneys, or those who visit the courthouse to file or request documents or to make a payment, will be asked to fill out the survey, which can be found online and in courthouses. The survey is available in both English and Spanish.

The survey is standardized and has been used by courts in several other states to identify court processes and services that can be improved.