News & Updates

Artificial intelligence is no longer just the stuff of science fiction, as more and more entities globally—courts included—are exploring how AI can be utilized to improve processes and help customers solve problems more efficiently. The introduction of AI into courtrooms is exciting, yet it also raises numerous concerns and questions from the legal community.

IAALS Executive Director Rebecca Love Kourlis paid a pre-holiday, virtual visit to LXBN TV to talk about the effects of partisan elections of judges across the country. Kourlis weighed in on the same concerns that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently voiced regarding the influence that partisan elections can have on judges’ decisions.

Nevada Senator William J. Raggio died on February 23. Senator Raggio was a 2010 IAALS Transparent Courthouse® Award recipient, along with his fellow Nevadan former Assembly Speaker Barbara E. Buckley. IAALS chose Senator Raggio because of his extraordinary efforts to promote a judicial selection system in Nevada that would assure impartiality and accountability.

New Mexico is one of the latest states to look to regulatory innovation to increase access to legal services. On January 24, the state supreme court approved a number of recommendations, including enlisting nonlawyer court navigators to assist self-represented litigants in navigating the system. 

Chief Judge Johnathan Lippman of the New York Court of Appeals has announced a new program designed to allow third-year law students to sit for the bar exam in February, so long as they devote their final semester to pro bono work. Ideally, the program will give indigent clients more access to legal representation, while also helping students gain the practical legal experience needed upon graduation from law school.

The judicial nominating commission created last April by Governor Perdue held hearings in three cities to hear from the public about the qualities and characteristics judges should possess. The commission screens and recommends applicants for positions on the supreme court, court of appeals, and superior court.

IAALS has announced that Scott Bales, its Executive Director, will step down effective July 31, 2020. Sam Walker has been appointed by the IAALS Executive Committee to serve as Interim Executive Director while IAALS conducts a nationwide search for the position.

Inter-branch tensions in Oklahoma have escalated in recent days over the state supreme court's handling of a death penalty appeal. A member of Oklahoma's house of representatives filed articles of impeachment against five supreme court justices who voted to stay the execution of two death row inmates. Tension was already brewing between the legislature and the high court over a 2013 decision that struck down a comprehensive lawsuit reform measure.

Governor Haslam indicated that he would support moving to a federal selection system for the state’s appellate judges, after a senate committee approved such a proposal. Earlier this year Haslam joined with Lieutenant Governor Ramsey and House Speaker Harwell to sponsor a bill that would constitutionalize the current merit selection and retention plan. A third measure calling for contested elections of judges is also under consideration.

IAALS relies on a tremendous group of partners who help guide our work, and we are pleased to announce that Carla van Dongen, Vice President - Counsel for State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, will chair our Business Leadership Network as well as serve on our Board of Advisors. 

The Colorado Supreme Court has rejected a proposed initiative intended for the November 2014 ballot that would amend the state constitution to allow voter recall of judges. Two other proposed ballot initiatives aimed at courts and judges are still alive. Eight states currently allow voters to recall judges.

We recently sat down to talk with John Gleason. As Regulation Counsel for the Colorado Supreme Court, he directs the office of the Court responsible for lawyer admissions, registration, regulation, and client protection. In 2010, Gleason was appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court to investigate and prosecute Andrew Thomas, the former Maricopa County Attorney—a prosecution that last week ended in the disbarment of Thomas and one of his lieutenants, and the suspension of another attorney in Thomas’ office.

IAALS announced that it is awarding Anna E. Carpenter, Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, the inaugural Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. 

A recent article in The New York Times argues that divorced and never-married parents have, in a sense, lost their right to choose how they want to parent. While married parents get a level of discretion from the legal system, "[j]udges routinely decide where the children of divorced parents will attend school, worship and receive medical care." Why the difference in treatment between married parents and those who are divorcing or separating?

In the May 8 Democratic primary, an incumbent justice and a county attorney won the nomination. According to campaign finance reports filed at the end of April, the winning candidates were also the biggest spenders. The two Democratic candidates will face two Republican candidates, one of whom opted for public financing, in November.

Professor Anna Carpenter discusses her passion for access to justice, exciting developments in legal innovation, and what it means to receive the inaugural Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award.

Like the United States, the United Kingdom has historically faced a lack of legal representation for low income individuals. The apparent lack of resources in both countries has highlighted a perceived remedy: law students working with those in need of legal services. While many people view this solution as beneficial for society, law schools, and students, others have warned against law schools taking up the slack because students still need an opportunity to learn.

The judicial selection commission sponsored by Senators Inouye and Akaka submitted to the senators a list of three candidates for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. The vacancy is due to Judge David Ezra taking senior status on June 27.

With great sadness, IAALS mourns the passing of John E. Moye, one of our founders. His passion for justice and the betterment of society were at the forefront throughout his life and career. As Coloradans, we are proud to have had John among our leaders—and at IAALS, we are proud to have had him as family. He will be greatly missed.

As has become standard operating procedure in the last several sessions, the Kansas legislature is once again considering proposals to alter the process for selecting the state's appellate judges. Chief Justice Lawton Nuss has spoken out against efforts to end Kansas' merit selection process for appellate judges and has found an ally in O'Connor Advisory Committee member and former Chief Justice of Texas Wallace Jefferson.