Category: News

Life Balance Wheel
May 03

Article Club Callinar on Thursday, May 11

Vicarious trauma. Compassion fatigue. Second-hand shock. Burnout. The populations that judicial educators serve are at great risk for these overwhelming professional challenges. How could and should our programming combat the effects of working with and around traumatic events? Join NASJE’s latest Article Club Callinar, where you will have the opportunity to discuss the article about vicarious trauma experienced by court employees. We have also two self-care inventories examples that you can take prior to the callinar or whenever you like.

Mar 10

Hidden Treasures on the NASJE Website

The Education and Curriculum Committee hosted its first “Article Club” call-inar for 2017 on February 23. The call-inar, Hidden Treasures on the NASJE Website, focused on the hidden gems within the website. The “explorers” led 17 participants through the many “caverns” to discover the treasures that comprise the website as the participants followed along on their computers.

law day 2017
Mar 08

Law Day 2017

Law Day is held every year on May 1 for the purpose of celebrating the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. This year’s theme is “The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy.” ABA President Linda Klein’s videotaped message is a good way to begin learning about this year’s theme.

Karen Thorson
Feb 17

Karen Thorson Award Nominations Due March 31

Karen Thorson Award nominations are now being accepted by the NASJE Board. If you know a career judicial educator who has made significant contributions to the profession and to NASJE, consider nominating him or her for this award. Nominations are due by Friday, March 31, 2017. You will find a link to the nomination form in the NASJE Member Area.

Jan 20

Judging Science in the Courthouse

This expanding universe of scientific knowledge has engendered many discussions about the perceived need to increase the amount of science based education judges receive. Some argue that judges should be educated like scientists. The problem intrinsic this idea is that judges are specialists in the law, and generalists in everything else. Moreover, the vast majority of judges turned away from a scientific education, at least by the time they were in college and certainly by the time they were in law school. Law school teaches a different manner of seeking the truth than the scientific method.

Jan 12

Report of the Education and Curriculum Committee

The Education and Curriculum Committee is hard at work on a number of initiatives designed to enhance the professional lives of judicial educators. The fifteen-member committee, co-chaired by Judith Anderson of Washington and Anthony Simones of Missouri, made the decision to split into three subcommittees in order to effectively achieve the goals of the group.

Phil Schopick
Dec 27

Phil Schopick Retires at Year End

After more than 25 years in Judicial Branch education, Phil Schopick of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College is retiring. Phil was editor of NASJE News (the predecessor of our news and information website) for about 10 years and was active in NASJE on the international committee and communications committee.

Dec 21

Tax-deductible contributions to NASJE

Dear NASJE Colleagues, As I receive solicitations from other associations and organizations, I am reminded of my duties as NASJE’s President to … promote the growth of NASJE and the strengthening of its position within the court community and ensure NASJE’s Read more

James Drennan
Nov 04

VIDEO: Jim Drennan receives Thorson Award

James “Jim” Drennan echoes the qualities honored by the Karen Thorson Award through his forty-year University of North Carolina School of Government career that started in 1974, and through his contributions to NASJE. Current NASJE communications committee chair Lynne Alexander sat down with the Jim for a short discussion about judicial education.

Oct 06

TX Judicial Education Entities Team Up for 2nd Annual Impaired Driving Symposium

Judicial Education in Texas works differently than in many other states. Instead of judicial education being a function of the Office of Court Administration as it is elsewhere, judicial education is provided through multiple entities each providing training for a different segment of the judiciary. This judicial education is financed by a grant from the Court of Criminal Appeals out of funds appropriated by the Legislature to the Judicial and Court Personnel Training Fund. In Texas, judicial education is administered by the Court of Criminal Appeals, through grants from the Court to Judicial Education entities, such as the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center.

Ryan Turner
Oct 05

Kudos to NASJE Member Ryan Kellus Turner

Ryan Kellus Turner, General Counsel & Director of Education, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center, was recently honored with the 2016 Outstanding Government Lawyer award from the Government Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. The award was presented at the State Bar’s Advanced Government Law seminar in Austin on July 28, 2016.

Crossing the Yard
Sep 06

BOOK REVIEW: Crossing the Yard: Thirty Years as a Prison Volunteer

It is difficult to discuss prison conditions with just about anyone. Some are convinced that crime deserves prison, the more time the better. Others are appalled by statistics that reveal the huge number of prisoners in America. Politicians talk about being tough on crime, parents talk about spending more on education instead of on prisons. Private prisons seem to be having a heyday. Recently, much has been made of the number of minorities in American prisons, and the long sentences they serve compared to Whites. As court personnel, exposed daily to crimes against society, it is easy to become jaded about prison and prisoners.