
Strengthening the Foundation of a Tribal Court: A Self-Study Course for Court Administrators
The Examination of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Violation from Roadside to Docket
Effectively Communicating with Families That Have Missing or Abducted Children Self-Study Course
A Thoughtful Approach to Racially Impartial, Research-Based Sentencing
Handling Inquiries from the Media: A Primer for Judges
DWI Court Enhancement: A Self-Study Web Course
Probate Matters: A Self-Study Online Course
FreeFundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Oklahoma)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Mississippi)
Lightning CourseJudge-Led Education: Curriculum Development for Subject Matter Experts – A Lightning Course
Crafting Effective Learning Objectives – A Lightning Course
Are Per Se Standards for Enforcing Marijuana-Impaired Driving Scientifically Legitimate? A Lightning Course
An Overview of Afrocentric Facial Feature and Skin Tone Bias in Criminal Law – A Lightning Course
Evidence-Based Practices: A Judge’s Guide to Pretrial Detention for Non-Violent Offenders – A Lightning Course
Tribal Online Self-Study Across the CountryDemocracy’s Last Line of Defense
Dividing the Waters Annual Conference
Animal Law General JurisdictionSpecial Considerations for the Rural Court Judge: Web-Based
The Traffic Case: A Course for Nonlawyer Judges
Mindfulness for Judges
Fundamentals of Evidence: Web-Based
Taking the Bench: An Interactive, Online Course for New Judges
General Jurisdiction (JS 610)
Judicial Academy – A Course for Aspiring Judges
Fourth Amendment: Comprehensive Search and Seizure (JS 645) – ONLINE
Civil Mediation: An Online 40-Hour Workshop
Judicial Writing (JS 615) – ONLINE
General Jurisdiction (JS 610)
Drugged Driving Essentials
Selected Criminal Evidence Issues: Web-Based JS 602
Taking the Bench: An Interactive, Online Course for New Judges
Handling Small Claims Cases Effectively: Web-Based
Judicial Ethics and Social Media: A Lightning Course
An Ethical Approach to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986
When Science Comes to Court: Self-Study Course on Forensic Evidence
Judicial Academy TribalAdvanced Judicial Writing
Administrative Law: Fair Hearing (JS 612)
Ethics and Judging: Reaching Higher Ground (JS 601): Web-Based
Mini-Course Administrative LawEthical and Procedural Challenges for Administrative Law Judges: Handling Complex Issues and Cases
Fundamentals of Evidence: Web-Based
Evidence Challenges for Administrative Law Judges: Web-Based
Logic & Opinion Writing (JS 621)
Evidence Challenges for Administrative Law Judges: Web-Based
Administrative Law: Advanced (JS 649)
New Military Conversations on Racial Justice Special CourtsDecision Making (JS 618)
Special Court Jurisdiction: Advanced (JS 611)
Lecture AppellateAdvanced Skills for Appellate Judges
Advanced Evidence (JS 617)
water International Symposium TrafficFundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Missouri)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Tennessee)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (South Dakota)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Nebraska)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Louisiana)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (District of Columbia)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (West Virginia)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Virginia)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (Vermont)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts (South Carolina)
Fundamentals of “Masking” and Suspensions for CDL Holders in Traffic and Criminal Courts
Drugs in America Today: What Every Judge Needs to Know
60thSpecial Considerations for the Rural Court Judge: Web-Based
The Traffic Case: A Course for Nonlawyer Judges
Mindfulness for Judges
Fundamentals of Evidence: Web-Based
Taking the Bench: An Interactive, Online Course for New Judges
General Jurisdiction (JS 610)
Judicial Academy – A Course for Aspiring Judges
Fourth Amendment: Comprehensive Search and Seizure (JS 645) - ONLINE
Civil Mediation: An Online 40-Hour Workshop
Judicial Writing (JS 615) - ONLINE
General Jurisdiction (JS 610)
Drugged Driving Essentials
Selected Criminal Evidence Issues: Web-Based JS 602
Taking the Bench: An Interactive, Online Course for New Judges
Handling Small Claims Cases Effectively: Web-Based
Judicial Ethics and Social Media: A Lightning Course
An Ethical Approach to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986
When Science Comes to Court: Self-Study Course on Forensic Evidence
Lessons from Tough Cases: Judging, Judicial Independence, Faithfulness to the Rule of Law
As any judge who has served on a busy trial court can attest, there are many assignments where the cases come at you so hard and fast that there is barely time to step into the box and take your stance before the next one comes zooming in. And that is true of the “easy” cases. And, there are cases where the judge has to wrestle with a problem so complex, or so emotionally draining, as to test the fortitude and impartiality of even the most experienced jurists. These might be called “go to the mountain top” cases.
“Mountain top” cases can appear in the garb of criminal, civil, probate, or family cases. Often the judge is unable to find any guiding legal precedent and is forced to navigate uncharted waters in search of the “just” result. Sometimes controlling legal precedent exists, but following it will lead to an unjust result. And then there are cases where the judge has very wide discretion to apply a vague legal standard, like “the best interest of the child” in contested child custody proceedings, or finding the “right sentence” in a criminal case, where the statutory range might run from no prison time at all to life in prison.
Other cases are hard not only because of the subject matter, but also because they capture the attention of the entire community and become highly politicized. These can be especially challenging for elected judges, who know that whatever decision they make may become the fodder for an opposition campaign when they next stand for election, and may ultimately cost them their judgeship. These political realities do not lessen the judge’s duty to decide each case in accordance with the facts and the rule of law, by reference to neutral principles. But these requirements can make the exercise of that duty more agonizing, knowing that the decision is likely to be unpopular with at least one large segment of the population.
This 4-day course will provide attendees with an opportunity to examine the decision-making process in a wide variety of contexts. Using a story-telling format, judges Canan and Mize present challenging case studies and encourage participants to share their approaches to reaching just results in each instance.
Objectives
By analyzing and critiquing thirteen poignant stories written by trial judges who struggled with difficult cases, seminar participants should come away with valuable insights about the decision-making process. Hopefully too, attendees will become enthused and empowered to become better judges.