Special Court Trial Skills Certificate Requirements

Eligibility is dependent upon your jurisdiction.

One of the following is required:

  • General Jurisdiction, plus 5-credit elective(5-credit elective not required if three-week General Jurisdiction taken)
  • or, in lieu of General Jurisdiction, Military Judge Course — JAG, Charlottesville, VA (Applies to military judges only. Must show proof of completion.)
  • Special Court Jurisdiction, plus 5-credit elective
  • Special Court Jurisdiction: Advanced, plus 5-credit elective

Two of the following are required:

  • Advanced Evidence
  • The Fourth Amendment: Comprehensive Search & Seizure Training for Trial Judges
  • Fundamentals of Evidence
  • Drugged Driving Essentials for the Judiciary
  • Impaired Driving Case Essentials

After completing the requirements, any additional courses from the list above may be applied as elective courses (5 credits each).

Elective Courses

15 elective credits are required

  • Advanced Mediation: Practical Skills and Techniques 2.5 credits
  • Advanced Judicial Writing 5 credits
  • Advanced Trial Skills for Judges: Managing the Jury Trial 5 credits
  • Best Practices in Handling Cases with Self-Represented Litigants 5 credits
  • Civil Mediation 5 credits
  • Conducting the Trial 5 credits
  • Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders 5 credits
  • Criminal Evidence 5 credits
  • Current Issues in the Law 5 credits
  • Decision Making 5 credits
  • Dispute Resolution Skills 5 credits
  • Domestic Violence 5 credits
  • Drugs in America Today: What Every Judge Needs to Know 2.5 credits
  • Effective Caseflow Management 5 credits
  • Effective Team Court Management 5 credits
  • Enhancing Judicial Bench Skills 5 credits
  • Ethical Issues in the Law: A Novel Approach 5 credits
  • Ethics and Judging: Reaching Higher Ground: A Web-Based Course 2.5 credits
  • Ethics, Fairness and Security in Your Courtroom and Community 5.0 credits
  • Evidence in a Courtroom Setting 5 credits
  • Fundamentals of Evidence: Web-Based 2.5 credits
  • Handling Small Claims Cases Effectively: A Web-Based Course 2.5 credits
  • Impaired Driving Case Essentials 5 credits
  • Judicial Decision Making 5 credits
  • Judicial Philosophy and American Law 5 credits
  • Judicial Writing 5 credits
  • Judging in the Digital Age: Conquering Discovery and Admission of Electronically Stored Information 2.5 credits
  • Logic and Opinion Writing 5 credits
  • Managing Cases Involving Persons with Mental Disabilities 5 credits
  • Managing Challenging Family Law Cases: A Practical Approach 5 credits
  • Managing Skills for Presiding Judges5 credits
  • Mindfulness for Judges 5 credits
  • Practical Approaches to Substance Abuse Issues 5 credits
  • Properly and Effectively Adjudicating Drugged Drivers: Web-Based 2.5 credits
  • Rural Courts: A Web-Based Course 2.5 credits
  • Scientific Evidence and Expert Testimony 5 credits
  • Selected Criminal Evidence Issues: A Web-Based Course 2.5 credits
  • Traffic Issues in the 21st Century 5 credits
  • Today’s Justice: The Historic Bases 5 credits
  • When Justice Fails: Threats to the Independence of the Judiciary 5 credits