Judicial Academy

The nation’s only course for lawyers who aspire to become judges

The Judicial Academy helps lawyers who are interested in becoming judges learn about the profession and improve their chances of appointment or election to the bench.

As of the summer of 2024, 31 alumni of the first four Judicial Academy classes had already made it to the bench. See below for the full list.

“I absolutely loved the Judicial Academy, and I highly recommend that anyone aspiring to a judicial career  invest in this course,” said Presiding Judge Lorrie Sinclair Taylor of the 20th Judicial District Court in Loudoun County, Virginia. She became the first African-American judge in the history of Loudoun County.

Participants in the weeklong course learn from veteran judges about a judge’s responsibilities, including:

  • Interpreting the law
  • Assessing evidence
  • Controlling hearings and trials
  • Deciding impartially
  • Sentencing criminal defendants
  • Terminating parental rights

The instructors also include professionals in charge of judicial selection and experts on judicial election campaigns.

One of the goals for the Academy is to increase diversity in the judiciary, so applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Judicial Academy alumni on the bench

  • Judge Olga Álvarez ’19, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
  • Associate Justice José Scher Castillo 19, California Court of Appeal
  • Judge Jaime Hawk ’19, Superior Court of King County, Washington
  • Judge Marie Avery Moses 19, 2nd Judicial District Court of Denver, Colorado
  • Judge Patrice “Patti” W. Oppenheim 19, 22nd Judicial District Court for St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, Louisiana
  • Judge Rania Rampersad 19, East Division District Court, King County, Washington
  • Associate Judge Jeffrey L. Phillips ’19, Nez Perce Tribe, Nez Perce County, Idaho 
  • Judge Lorrie Sinclair Taylor 19, General District Court, Loudoun County, Virginia
  • Judge Thanh H. Tran 19, Circuit Court of Clackamas County, Oregon
  • Judge Tsering D. Cornell ’21, Superior Court of Clark County, Washington
  • Judge Christine J. Gonong ’21, Superior Court of Los Angeles, California
  • Amyra Cobb-Hampton 21, Superior Court of Solano County, California
  • Judge Andrew Luxen ’21, 2nd Judicial District Court of Denver, Colorado  
  • Judge Josh Patrick 21, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
  • Judge Chris Sease ’21, District Court, Rowan County, North Carolina 
  • Judge Catherine Taylor ’21, Los Alamos County Magistrate Court, New Mexico 
  • Judge Sherry Thompson-Taylor 21, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
  • Chief Judge Natasha K. Anderson ’22, Nez Perce Tribal Court, Idaho  
  • Commissioner Latrice A.G. Byrdsong 22, Superior Court of Los Angeles, California
  • Judge Travis Fliehman ’22, Darke County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio
  • Judge Robert Lara ’22, Division 2, 3rd Judicial District Court of New Mexico 
  • Judge Danna W. Nicholas 22, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
  • Associate Judge Amy K. Peterman ’22, 17th Judicial Circuit Court, Illinois 
  • Judge Bryan F. Clavecilla 23, Superior Court of Orange County, California
  • Administrative Law Judge Heather Daly 23, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
  • Judge-Elect Selina Saenz 23, 65th Judicial District Court of Texas (El Paso) (taking office January 2025)
  • Special Justice Kiah D. Spinks 23, 31st District Court of Virginia
  • Judge-Elect Nikole Hecklinger ’23, King County Washington (taking office January 2025)
  • Jacqueline Smith-Tingle ’23, Virginia District 19 Magistrate
  • B. Ashley Andrews ’22, North Carolina, District Court Judge, 27th Judicial District

Judicial Academy Scholarships
Applicants to the NJC’s annual Judicial Academy may apply for a small number of scholarships.

You may express interest in being considered for a scholarship during the online registration process.

Scholarship recipients will be selected by the NJC scholarship committee.

The College encourages diverse participants (age, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin). However, scholarships are not limited to minority applicants.

Judicial Academy In-Person Course

Offered annually in October in conjunction with our fall General Jurisdiction course.

Apply now
Scales of Justice
Hawk
NJC President Benes Aldana with Judicial Academy alumna Jaime Hawk at her investiture as a judge of the King County (WA) Superior Court
NJC President Benes Aldana with Judicial Academy alumna Jaime Hawk at her investiture as a judge of the King County (WA) Superior Court