Due to the field of court administration becoming increasingly professionalized and diverse, in 2010, NACM leadership requested a review of its current core competencies.. With increasing responsibilities, new demands of staff, and changes in the environment in which court managers work (e.g., political, economic, technological), NACM recognized a need to take into account the multitude of changes that have occurred in the profession and reflect those into its core competencies. The multi-year effort included input from court leaders and professionals from around the country resulting in the development of the Core. 

The Core tag line, Strengthening Court Professionals, defines NACM’s goal in updating its core competencies.  NACM’s approach provides a roadmap to the profession—from the foundational knowledge of the enduring principles that every individual working in the court system should possess to the more complex and advanced areas required to be an effective court professional.

The Core is intended to be forward-looking to encourage not only competencies for professionals working in the field of court administration but also to promote excellence in the administration of justice.  The effort produced a set of core competencies, designed to provide guidance on court management skills and responsibilities that outlined specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required for effective performance and to serve as a guide for NACM educational programming.  Overall, the Core is a comprehensive and detailed description of what individuals working in court administration need to know and be able to do.