Courts at every jurisdictional level are tasked with managing conflict and settling disputes and disagreements between individuals, and further, between individuals and the government. In these environments, cooperation may seem to be a difficult, if not impossible, task. However, previous research in the field of public administration is quite clear in that directly engaging the public in the public services process improves the overall experience for the service user, the service provider, and the public at large through the concept of co-production. While co-production research has been applied to policing for over fifty years, scholars have only recently begun applying the concept to courts. Using survey data gathered as part of the Public Engagement Pilot Projects conducted by the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center and the National Center for State Courts, this dissertation investigates which factors may encourage people to engage in co-production with the courts in their communities. Findings indicate that levels of trust in courts, as well as education and status as leaders in the community influence how people engage in co-production with courts, comporting with the overall literature on co-production and the justice system and other forms of public services. Practical implications of this research, among others, may include more efficient use of public resources and overall improvements in process and outcomes for those involved in the court system.
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