Conducting the Remote Hearing: Best Practices, Strategies and Tips
2025-10-29 | Online

The Evolving Jury Trial: Practical and Advanced Tools for Judicial Success
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-05 | Reno, NV
Why should I take this course?

This program is designed for full-time, sitting judges who preside over jury trials. You will be provided with the tools to take a proactive role in handling jury trials, including jury orientation and management, voir dire, witness questioning, jury instructions, taking of the jury verdict, and more.

Who should attend?

Priority will be given to full-time, sitting judges who preside over jury trials currently. All levels of experience welcome.

How is this course taught?

The course is a mix of classroom presentation, interactive dialogue, workshops, and small-group discussions. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of their particular trial problems for discussion with the faculty and with colleagues from other states.

Does this course qualify for credits in the Judicial Studies degree program?

No, but this course does qualify for the Certificate in Judicial Development, Dispute Resolution Skills, General Jurisdiction Trial Skills, and Special Court Trial Skills.

What should I tell my presiding judge or funding agency so that my attendance will be approved?

This course provides judges with a rare opportunity to share jury trial management techniques with faculty and colleagues from around the country. Ideas generated at this course will help them to adjudicate cases more efficiently and fairly.

Whom should I contact for more information?

For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.

Mindfulness for Judges
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-06 | Kohler, WI
Over the course of the four days, we will explore the most current
research on mindfulness, including the neuroscience underlying
mindfulness and the effects of mindfulness on work-related skills and
behaviors. Specifically, participants will learn how mindfulness can
help cope with trauma, and enhance leadership and communication.
Mindfulness also …

develops your immune system;

aids with physiological responses to stress and negative emotions;

improves social relationships with family and strangers;

reduces stress, depression, and anxiety;

increases well-being and happiness;

increases openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness; and

improves your awareness that is more clear, nonconceptual, and flexible.

In addition to the didactic portion of the program, we will spend a significant amount of time experiencing directly a wide variety of attention focusing and meditation practices, while leaving time for thoughtful dialogue and inquiry. By the end of the course you will have both experience with mindfulness practice along with the resources to keep your practice going for years to come.

Contact

Please contact our Registrar’s Office with any questions.

Civil Mediation
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-07 | Reno, NV
Why should I take this course?

The techniques developed in this course will positively impact the judge’s communication and dispute resolution skills on and off the bench. This is a thorough and interactive, hands-on course that combines theory with practice. Participants act as mediators in simulated sessions and receive feedback on their performance. For those transitioning in their careers, the course provides a solid, practical starting point for becoming a mediator.

Who should attend?

This course is appropriate for any judge of any jurisdiction who will
use mediation techniques to resolve disputes. Other court personnel who
will serve as court mediators are also welcome to attend.

Who are the members of the faculty?

The faculty are widely recognized mediators who are seasoned instructors.

How is this course taught?

This course utilizes sophisticated role-playing exercises and
extremely interactive presentations. The role-playing exercises to allow
participants to sit as a mediator in varying situations. You will have
the opportunity to play the role of an attorney, a disputant, and an
observer during the exercises.

What should I tell my presiding judge or funding agency so that my attendance will be approved?

The use of mediation is burgeoning in the judicial and administrative
fields as well as in the private sector. Adjudicators who can
effectively settle disputes through the use of mediation will
significantly reduce court management costs.

Whom should I contact for more information?

For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.

Evidence Objections Part 3: Analyzing Due Process, Compulsory Process, & the Right to a Defense
2025-11-06 | Online

The Antiracist Courtroom & Reducing Disparity Through Nontraditional Diversion
2025-11-10 - 2025-11-14 | Montgomery, AL
NJC will work with registered judges on the availability of NJC funding for travel and lodging expenses. If you are interested in available travel funding, please contact the NJC Director of Justice Solutions & Innovation, Alf W. Brandt, at alfb@judges.org.

This course is currently full and the waitlist is closed.

The Geofence Warrant
2025-11-11 | Online

Why the Least Dangerous Branch Must Also Be the Most Independent
2025-11-12 | Online

Ethics for New Judges and Your Family
2025-11-13 | Online

2025 Appellate Judges Education Institute Summit
2025-11-13 - 2025-11-16 | Minneapolis, MN

Artificial Intelligence & Judges - What Judges Need to Know Right Now
2025-11-14

Admission of Digital Evidence-A Refresher
2025-11-17 | Online

The First Amendment and its Effects in and Around Courthouses
2025-11-20 | Online

Advanced Evidence (JS 617) - Online
2025-12-01 - 2025-12-04 | Online
PREREQUISITE: A law degree or completion of one of the following courses is required to attend: Fundamentals of Evidence (or its equivalent), Special Court Jurisdiction, or Special Court Jurisdiction: Advanced.

Why should I take this course?Consistently rated as one of the top courses at NJC, Advanced Evidence is a must for judges who want to improve their evidentiary rulings. This course gives you the opportunity to analyze rules of criminal and civil evidence in a setting where you can debate the rules with other judges from around the country. The expert faculty will not only lead you through the quagmire of the Federal Rules of Evidence, but will also compare and contrast the common law rules of evidence. The course is “advanced” in the sense that you have the opportunity to examine the various rules of evidence in depth. It is helpful if you can bring your state’s evidence rules with you, so you can compare and contrast those rules with the federal rules.

Who should attend?This course has been specially developed for general jurisdiction judges or special court judges who hear criminal and/or civil cases. If you are a legally trained administrative law judge, you certainly are welcome; however, some of your practical concerns may not be specifically addressed. Appellate judges are encouraged to enroll not only for an update on evidence, but to hear the practicalities of applying evidentiary rules from a trial court judge’s perspective.

Who are the members of the faculty?Faculty members are judges recognized as experts in the field of evidence, as well as law professors who understand the real-life concerns that judges face.

How is this course taught?The faculty uses a number of adult education techniques including lecture, audio-visual aids, question and answer, debate, and class problems. Participants will also be directly involved in solving hypotheticals in your small group discussions.

What should I tell my presiding judge or funding agency so that my attendance will be approved?Judges must have a good understanding of the rules of evidence to make appropriate decisions in their courtrooms. This course gives the participant judge the rare opportunity to contrast their state rules of evidence with those of their colleagues from around the country. Each participant will also be given in-class problems that they must present to their colleagues. Ultimately, the judge participant will come away with a greater grasp of the rules of evidence and the reasons underlying those rules.

Whom should I contact for more information?For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.

Financial Statements in the Courtroom - Online
2025-12-04 - 2025-12-12 | Online
For questions and additional information, please contact Senior Judicial Education Manager Mary N. Burdick, M.A. at burdick@judges.org or call 775-327-8230.

Ethics, Fairness, and Security in Your Courtroom and Community
2025-12-08 - 2025-12-11 | San Antonio, TX
Why should I take this course?During this course you will examine real cases and use hypothetical scenarios to distinguish between proper and improper personal conduct in your courtroom and community activities. You will study research on implicit and institutional bias so that you can better recognize its effects. After attending, you will also be able to identify security risks and apply appropriate personal security measures while on the bench, in your home and with your family. Upon completion, you will be well-versed in the Model Code of Judicial Conduct, the foundation of this course.

Who should attend?Any judge will benefit from attending this course regardless of the type of court or agency in which they sit. This course is valuable to both beginning and experienced judges, as well as judges anticipating a move into a leadership role in their court.

Who are the members of the faculty?Judges, researchers, law and university professors, and judicial security experts, who have a mastery of their subject matter.

How is this course taught?A variety of teaching techniques including lectures, case studies, large and small group discussions, and polling questions. The course is an excellent mix of the theoretical and practical.

What should I tell my presiding judge or funding agency so that my attendance will be approved?Ethical breaches, security lapses, and systemic biases, even when unintentional, have far-reaching consequences. Attendance in this course will help judges identify and correct these issues within their court.

Whom should I contact for more information?For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.

Handling Capital Cases (JS 623)
2025-12-08 - 2025-12-11 | San Antonio, TX
Class MaterialsAn electronic version of the binder will be shared a week before the class. Hard copies will not be provided. Participants are most welcome to print their binders.

AttireBusiness casual: most participants wear jeans, comfortable pants, sneakers, or tennis shoes.

Genetic Evidence in Personal Injury Litigation Webinar
2025-12-16 | Online

To Recuse or Not to Recuse: Is Ethics Alone the End of the Question?
2025-12-18 | Online

When Science Comes to Court: Self-Study Course on Forensic Evidence
2025-12-31 | Online

Probate Matters: A Self-Study Online Course
2025-12-31 | Online

DWI Court Enhancement: A Self-Study Web Course
2025-12-31 | Online
Issues addressed include the evaluation and sustainability of the
Court’s community partnerships. This online course offers not only basic
information, but a wealth of resources. The course is sponsored by the National Drug Court Institute and The National Judicial College with funding through the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

You will have 60 days to complete the online study modules, which
take approximately 16 hours to complete. A Certificate of Completion
issued by NJC/NDCI is available when you successfully complete a final
online assessment.

For more information about his course, contact David Wallace at the National Center for DWI Courts at (703) 575-9400, ext. 32 or dwallace@nadcp.org

An Ethical Approach to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986
2025-12-31 | Online
This program is the result of a collaboration between the National
Judicial College and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The goal of this self-study course is to assist judges with increasing
their knowledge surrounding the goals of the Commercial Motor Vehicle
Safety Act of 1986 (CMVSA), basic terms and provisions unique to CDL
laws, who is required to be licensed, and the various classes of
commercial motor vehicles.

The first module will address the above mentioned topics in detail. The content is designed to provide opportunities for you, the learner, to actively engage with the course.
The second module consists of numerous scenarios which may touch on situations you have personally experienced in the courtroom, or may in the future. These scenarios will also require your active participation – there will be quizzes, as well as opportunities to provide short answers.
The third and final module will offer a more abstract scenario, which you will create as you go. The options that you select will take you to different locations within the ‘CDL Decision Tree.

The modules are independent so that judges may approach them in any order, depending on their interest. Each module will take approximately one hour to complete. We hope that this course provides a solid foundation in taking an ethical approach to commercial motor vehicle safety.

This self-study has three modules which do not have to be completed at one time. The course has a suggested completion time of 3 -5 hours. We suggest the participants are given a three week period to complete course.

Judicial Ethics and Social Media: A Lightning Course
2025-12-31 | Online
After completing this self-study course, which takes the average learner between 20 and 30 minutes, you will be able to:

Give an example of a judicial advisory or ethics opinion that offers guidance on social media for judges;Recognize social media posts that may be ethically problematic for judges; andModify your own Facebook privacy settings to ensure your posts and photos are protected.

Please note, as this course is designed to take the average learner 20-30 minutes to complete, no CLE credit is available.

Effectively Communicating with Families That Have Missing or Abducted Children Self-Study Course
2025-12-31 | Online

Strengthening the Foundation of a Tribal Court: A Self-Study Course for Court Clerks
2025-12-31 | Online

Strengthening the Foundation of a Tribal Court: A Self-Study Course for Court Administrators
2025-12-31 | Online

Search & Seizure in Impaired Driving Adjudication: A Self-Study
2025-12-31 | Online
Faculty: Judge in Residence Earl Penrod

Taking the Bench: An Interactive, Online Course for New Administrative Law Judges
2026-01-12 - 2026-02-13 | Online
As newly elected or appointed ALJs, the participants will likely have many questions about transitioning from their current jobs to their new roles. Week one focuses on what it means to be an ALJ. Further, it addresses the ethical requirements in transitioning from the bar to the ALJ bench. Week two focuses on what new ALJs can expect to experience in their hearing rooms. Week three concentrates on what judges do in their offices that even trial lawyers wouldn’t necessarily be aware of. Week four addresses what ALJs should (and should not) do ethically in both their professional and personal lives.

Who should attend?ALJs who have been recently appointed or hired.

Who are the members of the faculty?Faculty are highly experienced judges and experts who bring a wealth of personal experience to their teaching. 2021 faculty includes Judge Jennifer Gee (Ret.) (CA); Judge Melissa Jones (DC); Judge Daniel Jurkowitz (Ret.) (AZ); and Judge Jack Weil (PA).

How is this course taught?Discussion assignments, writing assignments, readings, video, comprehension checks, and weekly live webinars with faculty ensure this course is highly interactive, demanding, and educational. NJC anticipates that ALJs will spend between six and eight hours on lessons per week, with a total of four weeks of instruction (week three is a break week). On Friday of each week of the course, the faculty will deliver a live hour-long web conference.

Whom should I contact for more information?For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.

Selected Criminal Evidence Issues: Web-Based JS 602
2026-01-26 - 2026-03-12 | Online
Why should I take this course?This faculty-led online course offers a convenient way to explore ways to make evidentiary rulings quickly and confidently in criminal cases without having to leave your docket.

Who should attend?

This course is designed for judges who preside over criminal trials
and want to quickly and confidently make evidentiary rulings, family
court judges who are responsible for ruling on juvenile criminal cases,
and judges who would like to hone their skills on evidence admissibility
in criminal cases.

Who are the members of the faculty?Faculty members are judges recognized as experts in the field of evidence.

How is this course taught?Discussion assignments, writing assignments, reading, video and weekly live calls with faculty ensure this course is highly interactive, demanding, and educational. It is anticipated that you will spend between three and four hours on lessons per week, with a total of six weeks of instruction (week four is a break week). On Thursday of each week of the course, the faculty will deliver a live hour-long web conference at 11 am Alaska / 12 pm Pacific / 1 pm Mountain / 2 pm Central / 3 pm Eastern.

What should I tell my presiding judge or funding agency so that my attendance will be approved?A solid understanding of the rules of evidence is essential to making appropriate decisions in criminal cases. The judge who participates in this class will be better able to swiftly and confidently rule on evidentiary issues from the bench.

Whom should I contact for more information?For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (800) 255-8343 or registrar@judges.org.
