May 20, 2025 – Across the United States, millions of people miss their court date – despite their genuine intent to attend. This issue is so widespread that, in some areas, more people are in jail for missing court than for any other reason. Today, ideas42, a nonprofit using behavioral science to solve global issues, including the justice system in the U.S., and The Pew Charitable Trusts have released a new step-by-step guide for courts to put in place proven solutions that can reduce missed appearances by up to 40% and save the court system nearly $1,500 per case.
“Improving Court Attendance: The Essential Guide to Court Reminder Programs” provides court administrators with actionable steps to implement these systems, addressing the behavioral factors that cause people to miss court dates – including forgetfulness, poverty-related challenges, and fear or confusion about the process.
“Too often, what holds people back from attending court isn’t a lack of willingness; it’s the design of the system itself,” said Bridgette Gray, CEO of ideas42. “This guide offers practical, evidence-based tools that courts can use to support people in navigating the system, reducing missed court dates while saving money and resources.”
The guide’s key recommendations include:
- Collect contact information early and often to ensure reminders are sent before the first court date and that information is accurate and up-to-date.
- Enroll people in reminder systems automatically to maximize participation and reduce the burden on court staff.
- Use text reminders, because they’re cost-effective (generally costing just pennies to send), immediately received, and easily adaptable for multiple languages.
- Offer multiple reminder delivery methods to ensure everyone receives reminders, regardless of their access to technology or preferences.
The guide also provides detailed information on technology options for reminder systems and their associated costs, highlighting their significant return on investment.
A court with a reminder program for 10,000 cases per year (a medium size jurisdiction) is estimated to save $1.75 million each year in government costs alone, for a total annual social benefit of $3.3 million. In comparison, reminder systems typically cost $8,000–$16,000 per year.
“By making simple changes, courts can dramatically increase their efficiency, reduce costs, and improve outcomes for everyone involved,” said Alissa Fishbane, Director of (Un)warranted, the ideas42 initiative dedicated to preventing missed court dates and their resulting warrants and jail time. “This guide helps courts to proactively adopt a solution that works, and is already commonly used in other industries, to help people understand and fulfill their legal obligations. This leads to a better legal system for all.”
Read the full guide here.
About ideas42:
ideas42 is a nonprofit that applies behavioral science to design solutions to entrenched social problems. We work to improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change.
Media Contact:
Cameron French
cameron@ideas42.org
971-239-3927
