National Association of State Judicial Educators
Welcome to Isabel Alvarez Galeano of Connecticut! What was your path to judicial education? Early in my career with Judicial as a Child Support Enforcement Officer, I was part of their outreach program where I went to the community to Read more
Margaret R. Allen of the National Center for State Courts was announced as the 2019 Karen Thorson Award winner at NASJE’s Annual Conference in October in Denver. The Thorson award goes to a NASJE member who has made a significant contribution to both NASJE and judicial branch education nationally and is NASJE’s highest recognition of excellence and contributions to the field of judicial branch education. The award’s eponym, Ms. Karen Thorson, was the first recipient in 2012.
By Lee Ann Barnhardt It is not often that we meet someone who has a significant impact on our lives. I was lucky to have met that person in Patricia Murrell. Pat left this world on October 25, 2019, but Read more
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Online learning is no longer just an occasional component of our job – in many cases, it’s fast becoming the primary focus! Join us for a panel discussion hosted by the Midwestern region with NASJE members who have facilitated the growth of online learning in their states and jobs. We will discuss how online learning changes your educational strategic plan, what’s happening in other states, and what’s on the horizon for court education and NASJE.
Theresa Ewing is the Director of Municipal Court Services for the Fort Worth Municipal Court. Earlier this year, the National Center for State Courts selected Ms. Ewing to receive its 2018 Distinguished Service Award. This award is presented annually to honor those who have made substantial contributions to the field of court administration and to the work of the National Center for State Courts. I was able to sit down with Ms. Ewing recently and ask her questions about the award as well as her work in Fort Worth.
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.
Welcome to our newest NASJE member, a Judicial Resource and Outreach Coordinator at the Wisconsin Office of Judicial Education, Emily Brooks! 1. What was your path to judicial education? My path is a little interesting! I started off in K-12 Read more
Christine Christopherson has been named Director of Nebraska Judicial Branch Education, a position that oversees the coordination and delivery of educational offerings for all Judicial Branch employees and judges throughout the state. Read more about it at the Nebraska Supreme Read more
Members of NASJE lent their experience and expertise to a cadre of court leaders from across the nation at the July meeting of the National Association of Court Management in Atlanta. “NACM wanted to offer an educational session to equip Read more