Since the Business Education & Support Unit (BESU) was created in 2013, we’ve worked to continuously improve statewide education and training materials for Minnesota Judicial Branch employees, judicial officers, and the public. Over the last two years, the BESU took on the task of converting a decades old user manual to a more user-friendly format.
Author: NASJE
From the President (Summer 2019)
For my final presidential message, I am going to focus on gratitude. Never have I been more aware of the fact that great things do not happen with a single person acting alone. To those who helped me through this year, I bestow upon you my gratitude.
2019 NASJE Conference ELO: Managing the Spotlight – Lessons from the Aurora Theatre Trial
On July 20, 2012, one of the deadliest mass shootings occurred at the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, CO. Twelve were killed and 70 were injured in what was then the shooting incident with the largest number of casualties in U.S. history. The subsequent trial proceedings were broadcast not only nationally, but internationally, and received pervasive media coverage.
“Give Me 5 Abstract Conceptualizations, Private!”
In the Colorado Court Services training unit, new trainers undergo “Training Boot Camp” to learn and master training delivery skills and methodologies. From there, they graduate to “Special Ops,” where they continue to refine their development techniques, as well as identify new approaches, with their fellow specialists.
Membership Committee offers buddy system for Denver conference
Walking into a conference as a new member can be intimidating, so the Membership and Mentor Committee wants to take a little of that fear away by offering new members or first-time attendees a conference buddy for the 2019 Annual Conference in Denver.
Learn the “Why” of Coaching at NASJE’s Annual Conference
Performance coaching, executive coaching, skills coaching, life coaching. What do courts need in the realm of coaching, and why should judicial educators consider adding coaching to their courts’ repertoire of training? In their session, “A Coach Approach: Sustainable Change for Judicial Branch Leadership,” NASJE members Leslie Gross and Nancy Smith will make the case for implementing a coach approach for court leaders involved in personnel management and other leadership arenas. Smith and Gross are trainers, coaches, and owners of Sustainable Change Coaching, which they founded this year in the hopes of helping court leaders become better people managers and leaders.
Nominations Sought for NASJE Officers
At the annual conference in October, NASJE’s newest Board members will be sworn into office. Candidates are recommended by the membership to NASJE’s Nominating Committee, chaired by Past President Lee Ann Barnhardt. Other committee members (representatives from each region) include Allison Gallo (Delaware), Ben Barham (Arkansas), Tom Langhorne (Utah), and Margaret Allen (Ohio). Ms. Barnhardt also serves on the Diversity, Fairness and Access Committee, and all committee members are tasked with promoting diversity of the slate of candidates. The committee will be reaching out to the membership requesting recommendations for individuals who might serve in NASJE leadership positions.
Two Webinars for NASJE Members Announced
On July 17 and July 30, 2019, NASJE’s International and Diversity, Fairness, and Access committees are sponsoring webinars available to all NASJE members. Information on the webinars is below, registration is available on the members only page.
NJC and JSI Release Science Bench Book for Judges, Offer Webcasts
Judges are the guardians of our system of justice, but forensic developments in the last 50 years have made their jobs significantly harder. However, judges do not need to become scientists in order to make appropriate evidentiary decisions about scientific evidence. Rather, they need to have a detailed understanding of their role in admitting scientific evidence. To achieve this, the National Judicial College and the Justice Speakers Institute are pleased to present a new online resource, Science Bench Book for Judges, to assist judges in making their rulings.
NASJE 2019 Conference Registration
WELCOME TO THE MILE HIGH CITY! Registration is now open for NASJE’s Annual Conference, which will be held in Denver, Colorado, on October 18-21, 2019. The conference will be held at Ralph Carr Judicial Center with pre-conference events and lodging…
From the President (Spring 2019)
When I took office last year, I was asked repeatedly about my agenda as President of NASJE and what I hoped to accomplish. I struggled to provide an answer. My initial inclination was to say, “Continue the great work and follow the lead of the talented people who came before me.” My second reaction was even shorter and less impressive: “Try not to screw anything up.” But the more I thought about it, the more an answer began to materialize. I wanted to work to ensure that NASJE would continue to be the resource to others that it has been to me.
NASJE Vision 2020 Survey Results out soon
2019 NASJE Conference Speaker Preview
Registration for NASJE 2019 opens in early June. Click through to the video for some great reasons to attend.
NASJE Secretariat Honored for Service
Nikiesha Cosby, an association manager with the National Center for State Courts and the secretariat for NASJE, recently received the Florence McConnell Award from the National Center. The award honors former employee Florence McConnell and goes to the employee whose interaction with the courts and with fellow employees creates an atmosphere of trust and respect. The recipient not only maintains a high level of professional performance but also is supportive of colleagues in their personal challenges.
BOOK REVIEW: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
Richard Rothstein’s thesis is that local, state, and federal laws, rules and policies deliberately caused segregation in public housing, beginning primarily around World War II when severe housing shortages for war workers caused the government to build public housing in large numbers where war industries existed. While the common supposition is that housing segregation is a result of people choosing to live in segregated neighborhoods, Mr. Rothstein argues that segregation in housing is in fact a result of laws and policies of the government. His arguments are compelling and are a lesson for everyone in the court system, in fact for all citizens, about why housing segregation really happened, and what might be done about it.
NASJE launches Vision 2020 Campaign
The National Association of State Judicial Educators is launching its Vision 2020 Campaign with a membership survey developed by the organization’s Membership and Mentor Committee. The goal is to collect data on ways NASJE can better meet the evolving needs of its members. Once compiled, the board and NASJE’s committee chairs will use the data to improve the organization and the services it provides. A full report will be made available to members at the 2019 Annual Conference in Denver.
Creating a Judicial Science, Technology, and Engineering Curriculum: You Can Help!
The road to becoming a judge is paved with years of training, preparation, and the endless acquisition of knowledge. Curiously, much of the curriculum for judicial education is developed without judicial input. Oftentimes, judges are not afforded the opportunity to help shape the very learning experience they rely on for their development. Jim Sullivan plans to change that. And he wants your help.