Thanks to recent decisions like Dobbs v. Jackson, which shifts the responsibility of constitutional protections from the federal to the state level, we find state courts—and state constitutions—in the spotlight in ways they haven’t been before. This increased attention creates an urgency for us to reflect on and to better understand how we can effectively communicate about these institutions—and do so in ways that emphasize their role in ensuring fairness, accountability, and the protection of rights.

This messaging guide was developed to assist advocates working to promote and protect the integrity of state courts and their crucial role in upholding the protections afforded in each state’s constitution. We also believe this guide will be useful for many others, including strategists, communicators, and organizers who are trying to engage in more effective conversations about the court system and fight back against power grabs by other branches of government.

With this messaging guide, we hope to give everyone working passionately on this issue the tools to effectively communicate with potential supporters in ways that will engage them and help to expand our collective networks of activism.