Courts Need to Enhance Access to Justice in Rural America
Published in 2018, this COSCA policy paper explores the urgent need to reimagine how courts serve rural communities. It identifies key challenges — including geographic isolation, declining populations, aging infrastructure, and limited legal resources — and presents opportunities for courts to improve access through innovation, technology, court restructuring, and cross-agency collaboration. The paper calls for bold action to ensure that Americans living in rural areas are not left behind in their ability to access timely and effective justice.