FAQs

What is the International Association for Court Administration?

IACA is a global association of professionals who share a common interest in promoting improved administration and management in justice systems throughout the nations of the world. It is a non-profit association that promotes the administration of justice and the pursuit of excellence internationally through collaboratively working with justice system officials to develop the institutional framework and operational efficiency of courts. IACA is not affiliated with any specific political ideology or persuasion. Its efforts focus on civil- and common-law systems alike. Its enabling vision is to promote the role and functions of courts as independent institutions that exist to equitably, timely, and objectively resolve disputes and administer justice for the clients they were created to serve and whose resources enable them to do so.

What is the focus of IACA’s work?

IACA’s work focuses primarily on the practical aspects of court system governance, administration, management and operations.  Such aspects include:

  • Court system governance and administrative structures
  • Case weighting systems
  • Procedural and regulatory efficiency in court environments
  • Optimal caseflow management practices
  • Automated case-information systems
  • Accountable financial management and budget systems
  • Efficient and intelligent use of judicial and staff resources 

How and when was IACA established?

IACA was formally established in October 2004 in Ljubljana, Slovenia where its founding conference of 100 delegates representing 24 countries jointly created the new International Association for Court Administration.  IACA achieved legal status in 2005.

Who may become a member of IACA?

IACA was established as a global professional development and support association for individuals in careers associated with court and judicial systems such as judges, court executives, court administrators, court managers, other categories of court professionals.  It also targets as prospective members justice ministry officials, attorneys, court and judicial system consultants, and academics and students in related disciplines.  IACA also has a special non-voting category of membership for Friends of IACA who may be interested in supporting its work through donations. IACA also offers an association membership category whereby organizations such as national court management groups or international development contracting corporations involved in court administration improvement and modernization projects can join.

What are the membership requirements?

Membership requirements fall into two general categories:  (i) Individual Members; (ii) Association Members. To join IACA, please click on the Join IACA link to select the membership type and pay any applicable dues. The requirements for each of the categories are as follows:

Individual Membership

Individuals may apply for full Professional Membership by paying annual dues of $50. Professional members may be judges, court executives, court managers, court administrators, or other court or justice sector professionals, including attorneys, academics, law enforcement officials, consultants, and related professionals. 

Association Membership

IACA encourages associations with goals and objectives similar to or compatible with its own to join as Association Members. The base dues for an Association Annual membership fees are $400 for up to 10 members. Associations and individual members with the means to do so are encouraged to contribute tax-deductible donations to help fund the non-profit work of IACA. 

Membership fees can be paid on-line using IACA’s secured website.

What are the benefits of joining IACA?

IACA offers several categories of benefits, as follows:

International Conferences
IACA conducts international conferences every 18 months to two years.  Conference locations vary and have included Ljubljana, Slovenia; Verona, Italy; Dublin, Ireland; Istanbul, Turkey; and The Hague, Netherlands.  Participants at these conferences include a diverse cross-section of the international community who live and work in all regions of the world.  Although most presentations are in English, these international conferences typically provide interpretation in three to four additional languages, depending on the location and countries represented.

Leadership Opportunities
IACA is a global association. Its organizational components include:

  • The President and President-Elect
  • IACA Executive Board
  • IACA Advisory Council
  • Seven Regional Vice-Presidents, each assisted by a regional board of directors, representing Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Middle East, North and Latin America, South America, and Southeast Asia and Australia.  Although IACA’s Executive Board sets the Association’s policies and exercises overall governance in consultation with its Advisory Council, each Regional Board has the autonomy to pursue on its own IACA-associated initiatives and projects within the broad guidelines, goals, and objectives of the Association. For the professional members, there are significant opportunities to exercise leadership and to initiate projects in the Regional Board framework.
  • Vice-President for International Associations and the International Associations Board. Each board has a vice-president and eight board members.

International Journal for Court Administration
Semi-annually, IACA publishes the International Journal for Court Administration, a professional journal in electronic format that is made available free of charge to IACA’s members and friends. Publication is managed by the Executive and Managing Editors and assisted by the Editorial Board. The Journal feature articles and commentary that focus on court administration and management, judicial system reform and restructuring, court system education and training, and, in general, the practical elements of the effective administration of justice.  Articles typically feature content of interest both to the academic community and to justice system communities.

Opportunities to Assist Others 
IACA was organized primarily to serve as a global resource for court officials and court systems throughout the world. IACA’s value as a resource comes from its membership. IACA relies on and encourages its members to contribute their professional expertise and their experience to assist and advise their less-experienced colleagues to develop their abilities as court system professionals and to develop their court and justice systems.  IACA also encourages its members to provide consulting and other support services to court systems in developing countries, and it seeks to make such service opportunities available to its members.