This report summarizes highlights and lessons learned from a discussion with judges and court personnel from rural communities on barriers, successes, and innovations related to addressing substance use disorder for court-involved people, with a focus on strategies that are currently working well in rural courtrooms and an examination of ongoing challenges for rural judges and communities.

In July 2024, the State Justice Institute (SJI), in partnership with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) convened a 1-day listening session for judges and court personnel from rural communities to discuss barriers, successes, and innovations related to addressing substance use disorder (SUD) for court-involved people and to identify opportunities to more effectively support children and families impacted by SUD. This report summarizes highlights from that discussion, with a focus on strategies that are currently working well in rural courtrooms and an examination of ongoing challenges for rural judges and communities.