In November, the National Judicial Opioid Task Force released a wide-ranging report examining how courts can best address the ongoing opioid epidemic. The task force was created by the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. Read more
By Cecilia Low-Weiner, Research Analyst at the Data Collaborative for Justice and Ed Spillane, Presiding Judge of College Station Municipal Court, Texas With increasing public scrutiny and calls for reform throughout the criminal justice system, a judge’s role as an Read more
Independence Corrupted goes behind the trial bench and even into appellate chambers to dissect judicial decision-making in actual cases I judged – for ten years, alone, as a trial judge; for twelve years, with colleagues, as an appellate judge. The cases are page-turners, fascinating courtroom conflicts involving abortion protesters, abused children, murderers, sex predators, civil rights, health insurance, the insanity defense, multi-million dollar punitive damages, and more.
A new NCSC report, Elements of Judicial Excellence: A Framework to Support the Professional Development of State Trial Court Judges, is now available. It is a first-of-its-kind resource for judges, mentors, educators, and state court leaders who support and seek to enhance their state systems of judicial professional development.
As technology plays an increasingly significant role in our society, it has become commonplace in the courtroom. New technological practices and discoveries bring forensic science topics such as DNA, latent print examinations, and digital evidence to the forefront of our court system. With technology playing a greater and greater role in resolving cases, it became obvious to Arizona judicial educators that many judges lack the educational background needed for a sufficient understanding of the scientific principles behind the forensic evidence they see in court.
Since 2003, at the urging of Justice Mark Gibbons, the Nevada Supreme Court has been hearing cases at high schools throughout the state. Panels, usually made up of three of the seven Justices, have traveled to a number of rural areas, conducting hearings that usually have a connection to that specific region, in an effort to allow the general population and students to see how the court functions.
By Cheri Ely, M.A., LSW, Program Manager, NCJFCJ The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) Juvenile Justice Model Courts Project, managed by the Juvenile and Family Law Department, has expanded the number of courts participating in the Read more
It has been 33 years since the Indian Child Welfare Act was passed, and it is important to take the time to evaluate the impact on the child welfare system since that time.
by Anthony P. Wartnik, Judge (Retired) There are people in your courts who deserve special attention. Some have committed crimes they didn’t understand and some have been convicted of crimes for which they are not fully culpable and both are Read more
Can judges and court personnel have Facebook or MySpace pages? Make blog postings? Can they participate in listservs? The general answer to each of these questions is “yes,” but….
