LAWYERS TO JUDGES AND JUDGES TO GREATNESS - TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF JUDICIAL EDUCATION - THE ILLINOIS PLAN

• NCJ Number: 68727
• Journal: Judges' Journal Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (SPRING 1980) Pages: 34-39
• Author(s): L A BONAGURO
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 6 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ILLINOIS' CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR JUDGES IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

ILLINOIS' 26-YEAR-OLD JUDICIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, TOPICS, TYPE OF FACULTY, AND MANNER OF PRESENTATION WHICH HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE. CURRENTLY, THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF AN ANNUAL JUDICIAL CONFERENCE FOR SUPREME, APPELLATE, AND CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES; AN ANNUAL ASSOCIATE JUDGE SEMINAR; A BIENNIAL NEW JUDGE SEMINAR; SIX ANNUAL REGIONAL SEMINARS; AND SPECIALIZED SEMINARS AS NEEDED. THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMS RUN 2.5 DAYS. ALL APPELLATE, CIRCUIT, AND ASSOCIATE JUDGES, UNLESS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO ILLNESS OR COURTROOM DEMANDS, ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE, ASSOCIATE JUDGE SEMINAR AND/OR NEW JUDGE SEMINAR. ATTENDANCE AT THE REGIONAL SEMINARS IS NOT REQUIRED; THE CHIEF CIRCUIT JUDGES ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE BY SELECTED JUDGES WHO OFTEN ARE RECENTLY OR SOON-TO-BE ASSIGNED TO THE PARTICULAR LEGAL AREA BEING COVERED. PURSUANT TO A CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION THAT MANDATES THE ANNUAL JUDICIAL CONFERENCE, THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT ADOPTED A RULE ESTABLISHING AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF JUDGES TO PLAN THE CONFERENCE AND SELECT ITS TOPICS AND FACULTY. CONSIDERABLE EFFORT IS MADE TO SELECT TOPICS WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. INGREDIENTS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ILLINOIS JUDICIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM ARE THE USE OF JUDGES INSTEAD OF ATTORNEYS OR LAW PROFESSORS IN THE CONTROL AND CONDUCT OF PROGRAMS, THE INCLUSION OF JUDGES FROM VARIOUS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS AND FROM TRIAL AND APPELLATE COURTS ON THE JUDICIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AND THE SELECTION OF TOPICS COVERING ISSUES MOST FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED BY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF JUDGES: ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM ARE THE USE OF JUDGES ON THE FACULTY WITH KNOWN EXPERTISE IN THE AREAS TAUGHT, THE LIMITATION OF SEMINAR GROUPS TO NO MORE THAN 50, MANDATORY ATTENDANCE, AND THE SUPPLEMENTATION OF IN-STATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH OTHER PROVEN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. TWENTY REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.