Moderator: Natalie Reyes, Director, International Justice Initiatives, Training and Technical Assistance, Center for Court Innovation Featured Speakers: Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., Director, National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC) Deloris Vaughn, Ph.D., Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) Evaluation Consultant (New Haven, CT) Diane Whaley, Public Defense Coordinator/Community Court Executive (Olympia, WA) Matthew Willis, Manager of Evidence and Impact, Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Magistrate’s Court of Victoria, Australia (Victoria, Australia) The session begins with an overview of Director La Vigne’s priorities for the National Institute of Justice and more broadly explore the importance of research and evaluation that focuses on improving public safety and ensuring the fairness and effectiveness of the justice system. This overview allows the speakers to then delve into the community court model’s adaptability. Its inherent localized, flexible approach has allowed community courts to flourish in multiple settings beyond courthouses—including neighborhood-based courts, local libraries, community centers, and even mobile—as well as serving a variety of issues and populations. This adaptability also makes community courts more difficult to evaluate than other, more standardized models. This session explores how to build the research base for community justice initiatives to ensure that this approach remains a sustainable, impactful solution to local problems.