NJC Resources
NJC Enrollment: Record High for Second Consecutive Year

The National Judicial College enjoyed record enrollment in 2014 for the second consecutive year. NJC’s 2014 in-person enrollment was 6,077.This surpassed the previous single-year record set in 2013 of 4,709 judicial officers.

“We are very pleased. The last two years show the demand for high quality judicial education is at record levels,†said NJC President Chad Schmucker.

Schmucker noted that the College has provided quality judicial education since its inception in 1963. He attributed the enrollment increases to an economy shaking off the lingering effects of the Great Recession.

“We know through our surveys that finances are the primary obstacle to judges pursuing continuing education†he said. “The fact that we were able to offer more scholarships and that judges — either personally or through their home state — were able to secure more funding to attend our courses contributed to the enrollment surge.â€

The College saw large enrollment increases in tuition-based courses (offered in Reno, out-of-state and online) and extension courses from requesting organizations. An additional 3,800 judicial officers participate in NJC’s free webcasts and self-study courses last year. The NJC designs its courses to provide new judges with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be effective jurists. For more experienced judges, the College offers a variety of continuing education courses on contemporary issues facing the judiciary. Regular topics include judicial writing, complex civil litigation, forensic evidence, ethics, cultural awareness and building a bias-free environment in the courtroom.  Each year, the College seeks to expand its course offerings. In 2015, the NJC is:

  • Offering courses in judicial leadership, faculty development and the impact of alcohol and drug abuse in communities and the challenges they pose for the courts.
  • Expanding the number of out-of-state courses from seven to nine.

The NJC is the nation’s premiere judicial education provider, impacting judges from all 50 states as well as from 150 countries. The mission of the NJC is education, innovation and advancing justice. Between the College’s founding in 1963 and its 50th Anniversary Year in 2013, more than 100,000 professional education certificates were awarded to judicial officers. The NJC is also home to a water policy initiative called Dividing the Waters, The National Tribal Judicial Center and an International Judicial Program.

The NJC is housed on the historic 255-acre campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. For over 50 years, the NJC has been offering courses to improve judicial productivity, challenge current perceptions of justice and inspire judges to achieve judicial excellence. The NJC is a Nevada not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational entity affiliated with the American Bar Association, governed by an 18-member Board of Trustees.

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