IAALS Contributes Chapter on JPE to Latest Edition of Long-Running ABA Publication

Based on its decade of work in the field of judicial performance evaluation (JPE), IAALS was invited to contribute a chapter on this topic to the recently published 8th edition of the American Bar Association’s The Improvement of the Administration of Justice.

First published in 1938 and popularly known as the “Handbook on Judicial Administration,” The Improvement of the Administration of Justice has served for several decades as a resource for judges, court administrators, lawyers, and others interested in the improvement of our justice system.

IAALS’ chapter on JPE explores the expansion and enhancement of judicial performance evaluation programs around the country since the previous edition of the ABA book was published in 2001. The chapter provides examples of the wide range of JPE programs currently in place around the country and describes key aspects of those programs, explores the extent to which JPE accomplishes its key objectives, and considers the increased reliance of JPE programs on research-driven evaluation processes in recent years. In that regard, the chapter also examines research on the extent to which implicit biases may influence evaluations of judges and discusses steps that can be taken to limit such influences.

Two IAALS partners also contributed chapters to the new edition of The Improvement of the Administration of Justice. Board of Advisors member Alan Carlson provided a chapter entitled “Financial Management of Courts,” and Justice Janice M. Rosa of the Honoring Families Initiative Advisory Committee penned a chapter on “Family Courts.”

In addition to its JPE chapter in the ABA book, IAALS offers a variety of JPE-related resources, including detailed information about existing state JPE programs, relevant empirical research on JPE, and recommendations for adopting and improving JPE programs.