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Kelly Hutton Sworn In as President of the National Association for Court Management (NACM) Friday, August 8, 2025

[August 1, 2025] – Kelly Hutton, who has dedicated nearly two decades to the North Dakota Court System, was officially sworn in this July as President of the National Association for Court Management (NACM) July 24, 2025.  Hutton has served the North Dakota Court System since January 2007 and is currently the Court Administrator for Unit 1, covering two judicial districts, 13 counties, and 12 judges. Throughout her career, she has led and supported numerous projects to enhance court operations statewide. Her committee work includes serving on the ND Caseflow Management Committee, the ND Minority Justice Implementation Committee, the ND Rural Attorney Recruitment Committee, and the dashboard sub-group that developed and maintains North Dakota’s statewide judicial dashboard used daily by judges, clerks, staff attorneys, and administrators.

Since joining the NACM Board of Directors in 2019, Hutton has contributed to several committees and played an instrumental role in creating and launching the NACM CORE® Champion Program, which helps court professionals deepen their understanding of core court management competencies.

As NACM President, Hutton outlined her priorities for the year ahead:

  • Membership Engagement: Encouraging more voices, collaboration, and meaningful connection among NACM members.
  • Strengthen Partnerships: Expanding the State Association Committee to include key partners and welcoming new state associations and organizations into NACM’s network.
  • Community Outreach and Education: Leveraging NACM’s unique role in educating the public, supporting courts, and building public trust in the judiciary. NACM will partner with the Conference of Court Public Information Officers to update its media guide and develop a new public-focused guide.
  • New CORE® Curriculum on Technology: Launching an accessible curriculum designed for non-technologists to help court professionals navigate and lead technology initiatives.

Beyond her leadership in NACM, Hutton is recognized nationally as a speaker and instructor on topics such as caseflow management, accountability and court performance, workforce management, leadership, and court operations. She completed the ICM Court Management Program in 2015 and earned her ICM Fellowship from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) in 2017. Hutton holds a B.A. in Legal Studies from Hamline University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of North Dakota, awarded in 2021.

Hutton’s vision centers on building stronger connections within NACM, with partners, and with the communities courts serve—reflecting her commitment to advancing court excellence nationwide.

About NACM:
The National Association for Court Management is the largest organization of court management professionals in the world, dedicated to advancing professional court administration and promoting excellence in the judiciary.