Justice At Stake Inc

TO KEEP OUR COURTS FAIR AND IMPARTIAL BY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND WORKING FOR REFORMS TO KEEP POLITICS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS OUT OF THE COURTROOM AND TO INCREASE DIVERSITY ON THE BENCH.

DEFENDED AND ADVANCED REFORMS, ADVOCATED FOR DIVERSITY ON THE BENCH. TRAVELED TO PARTNER WITH STATE GROUPS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY RELATED TO FAIR COURTS REFORMS INCLUDING MERIT SELECTION, PUBLIC FINANCING, AND INCREASED COURT FUNDING. PROVIDING POLLING SUPPORT TO STATE LEADERS. PARTICIPATED WITH FAIR COURTS LITIGATION TASK FORCE, AND ENGAGED IN AMICUS ADVOCACY IN DOBSON V. ARIZONA, TO DEFEND STATE'S MERIT SELECTION SYSTEM. MARYLAND DIVERSITY ON THE BENCH PROJECT CARRIED OUT. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: JUDICIAL PUBLIC FINANCING MADE PERMANENT IN WEST VIRGINIA; MERIT SELECTION SYSTEM PROTECTED IN ARIZONA; MERIT SELECTION SYSTEM IN KANSAS SUPREME COURT SAVED. RAISED AWARENESS OF IMPORTANCE OF JUDICIAL DIVERSITY.

COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. FOCUSED NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE THREAT TO OUR COURTS BY RELEASING NEW POLITICS OF JUDICIAL ELECTIONS REPORT 2013-2014 IN COLLABORATION WITH TWO PARTNER GROUPS. LAUNCHED REPORT WITH NATIONAL PRESS CLUB EVENT AND THROUGH PRESS RELEASES AND INTERVIEWS, AND DISTRIBUTED IT TO THOUSANDS OF ALLIES AND REPORTERS. LAUNCHED A JUDICIAL OUTREACH CIVIC EDUCATION PROJECT CALLED OUR COURTS AMERICA, ESTABLISHED A WEBSITE, AND WORKED WITH HONORARY CHAIR JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR ON CIVICS EDUCATION PANEL AND VIDEO. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED: SUBSTANTIAL EARNED NATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE, FAIR COURTS ADVOCATES HAVE THE DATA AND ARGUMENTS THEY NEED TO MAKE THE CASE FOR REFORMS IN THEIR STATES, ORGANIZATIONAL VIDEO CAPACITY LAUNCHED AND IN-HOUSE STUDIO ESTABLISHED.

BUILT STRENGTH AND CAPACITY OF FAIR COURTS FIELD. LAUNCHED GRASSROOTS EFFORT, INCLUDING CULTIVATING A GRASSROOTS NETWORK. HOSTED A NATIONAL CONVENING OF STATE LEADERS TO BROADEN MOVEMENT OF COURTS SUPPORTERS. NEW ONLINE TOOLS WERE BOUGHT AND USED, A FAIR COURTS ACTION NETWORK LAUNCHED, ACTION ALERTS SENT ON MULTIPLE ISSUES. TOOLS WERE SHARED WITH STATE ALLIES IN TARGET STATES. TRAINED STATE LEADERS AND ENGAGED CONSULTANTS TO DO THE SAME. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: CREATING FAIR COURTS FIELD CAPACITY TO ENGAGE GRASSROOTS, DRAWING NEW STATE PLAYERS INTO THE FAIR COURTS FIELD AND BUILDING THEIR EXPERTISE AND CONNECTIONS TO EACH OTHER.