Minnesota Judicial Branch Logo

News Item
Jeff Shorba, Minnesota State Court Administrator, to lead two national court organizations

Posted: Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Minnesota State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba has been named president of the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) and vice chair of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Board of Directors. Both one-year terms began this week during COSCA’s annual conference and NCSC’s Board of Directors meetings in Williamsburg.
 
“With nearly two decades of service to the state courts of Minnesota, Jeff is a national leader in advancing the administration of justice across the country,” said NCSC President Mary C. McQueen.
 
COSCA is comprised of the chief executives of the court systems in each state, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. The Conference is committed to strengthening the judicial branch by improving the quality of state courts and increasing the public’s trust and confidence in the justice system. It works closely with the Conference of Chief Justices on issues of mutual interest. Shorba’s COSCA board service has included leadership roles on the Joint Technology, Education, and Criminal Justice committees and the Extreme Risk Protection Order and Immigration and Customs Enforcement workgroups.
 
“Jeff Shorba’s innovative leadership and commitment to ensuring access to justice for all has led to Minnesota’s court system consistently ranking as one of the best in the nation,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea. “Jeff has helped transform how Minnesota’s courts operate, creating a more accessible, transparent, and accountable justice system that continually evolves to meet our state’s changing demographics and the enhanced expectations of those we serve.”
 
Shorba has been Minnesota’s state court administrator since 2012, after spending 10 years as the deputy administrator. Prior to joining the MN Judicial Branch, he worked as general counsel and associate general counsel for the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons, respectively. Shorba began his legal career at the Minnesota Judicial Branch as law clerk to the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Carleton College in Northfield and Harvard Law School. Shorba is a native of Chanhassen, Minnesota.
 
“I am honored to lead these organizations during a time when courts across our country are embracing change and re-imagining operations as we strive to achieve the equal and fair administration of justice and public trust and confidence in the judicial system,” said Shorba.