News & Updates

Why do you obey the law? Because you are afraid of the consequences if you don't? Or perhaps because it is the right thing to do? How about, because you believe that "government has the right to dictate to [you] proper behavior"? The third option—believing that government's laws and legal process have legitimacy—may be the keystone to building the most effective legal system.

One student’s exploration of whether the phrase “think like a lawyer” has lost a uniform definition, if not all meaning altogether. Here’s her take on this “flurry of semantical, romantical fun,” inspired by Judith Welch Wegner’s Reframing Legal…

The last twelve months have been an unforgettable crucible. At IAALS, we have taken a hard look at our work and what it will take to build a better legal system for everyone. Our 2020 Annual Report illustrates our ability to foster the change we need—and our capacity to do even more.

A recent ABA survey report found that self-help legal centers around the nation "are a vibrant and effective resource" to those they serve. Receiving responses from nearly half of those surveyed, the ABA found that self-help legal centers now serve approximately 3.7 million people each year and mostly provide legal service in the area of family law, including child support, domestic violence, and guardianships.

The April 2012 edition of the Educating Tomorrow's Lawyers newsletter is now available. Sign up for this and other IAALS newsletters here.

In August, IAALS and its partners continued the Redesigning Legal Speaker Series with a panel exploring how lawyers and other legal professionals can help to solve access-to-justice problems using new advances in technology—while building sustainable practices at the same time.

Three Colorado jurists who were identified as outstanding case managers in Working Smarter, Not Harder: How Excellent Judges Manage Cases have shared their expanded views of successful practices in an article for The Colorado Lawyer. The judges cover some of the more practical suggestions they have for fellow judges, as well as attorneys.

Invoking what is known as the “Thurmond Rule,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that no votes would be allowed on nominees to the federal courts of appeals until after the November election. Nominees to the district courts will continue to be considered until at least early September.

This year, the ABA marks Law Day 2022 with the theme of "Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change." Today, we should reflect on the shortcomings of our justice system and worry about the threats to democracy and the rule of law. But we should also celebrate the strides that have been made and the promise ahead.

Pennsylvania is one of two states that is electing supreme court justices in 2015. To provide the public with information about judges on the ballot, the Pennsylvania Bar Association offers ratings of appellate judicial candidates provided by the Bar's Judicial Evaluation Commission (JEC). But, a sitting commonwealth court judge and supreme court candidate has called that evaluation process into question.

The proposed 2012 platform of the Iowa Republican Party calls for state legislators to impeach judges who recognize a right to same-sex marriage and supports eliminating the role of the state judicial nominating commission in selecting judges and requiring senate confirmation. The platform will be voted on a the party convention.

IAALS is awarding Ariadna M. Godreau-Aubert, founder and executive director of Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, the third annual Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. "Ariadna’s vision for a better justice system, and her efforts on the ground to turn this vision into reality, is an inspiration for us all," said Brittany Kauffman, IAALS CEO.

The American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) has long been a leader in preserving and promoting the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This week ABOTA hosts a National Jury Summit in San Francisco…

Justice David Prosser converted his campaign fund to a defense fund to aid him in battling allegations of judicial ethics violations. According to the state’s government accountability board, using the campaign fund in this way satisfies the “political purpose” standard because the disciplinary proceeding affects Prosser’s “reputation and electability.”

A recent poll revealed that many judges are comfortable with self-represented litigants—but still face significant challenges. IAALS has tools to help judges adapt to changing norms and ensure fairness, fostering a respectful courtroom experience.

In a recent NCSC article, Innovative Courts Encourage Dissent, Judge Kevin Burke of Hennepin County, Minnesota, discussed the benefits of fostering the right forms of dissent in the courthouse. Judge Burke, a member of the IAALS Board of Advisors, acknowledged that "embracing dissent in a courthouse is not easy."

A district court candidate involved in a Republican runoff has taken the rare step of rejecting the voluntary campaign spending limits enacted by the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act of 1995. The built-in incentive to follow the limits is that, once one candidate refuses to comply, the other candidates in the race are no longer bound.

Stacey Marz discusses the importance of simplifying processes, IAALS’ people-centered approach, and her love of wild places. The wide breadth of IAALS’ partnerships is integral to our work, and we’re excited to showcase our board members’ dedication and expertise.

Multiple states have recently amended their divorce laws in order to expedite the process and facilitate better, more cooperative outcomes for couples parting ways. While none of the reforms contain drastic or sweeping change, they are the first…

The state Republican Party chair called for voters to remove one of four supreme court justices standing for retention in November. Justice David Wiggins participated in the 2009 unanimous ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the state, and three of his colleagues lost their bids for retention in 2010.