News & Updates

On November 6, Coconino County became the first rural county in Arizona to voluntarily change from a partisan-popular election of superior court judges to a merit selection-judicial retention election.

Early tomorrow morning, I’m heading to San Francisco through Sunday for the ABA’s Annual Meeting. You may see me at meetings for the Law School Division, the Young Lawyers Division, the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, and the Task Force on the Future of Legal Education. If you’ll be in San Francisco and you’re interested in linking up to hear more about Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers or just to talk about legal education, please drop me a line: agerkman@du.edu

The court of appeals rejected on standing grounds a challenge to the 2010 judicial retention ballot, an election that ended with the defeat of all three supreme court justices standing for retention. The challenge was brought by three attorneys and based on a constitutional provision requiring votes on judges to be on separate ballots.

Divorce is a highly stressful experience for all those involved, but the impacts on children can be especially profound. A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the Effects of Conflict and Divorce is a new, must-read resource for parents at any stage of the divorce process—whether they are simply contemplating divorce, in the middle of the legal process, or working on co-parenting afterward.

IAALS is very sad to note the passing of Professor Penelope Pether, of Villanova Law School. One of Penny’s areas of scholarship was the theory and practice of judging, and in that context she and I became friends. She had a particular interest in the process of appellate review, and Penny and I presented together on a couple of occasions on the subject of judicial performance evaluation. Penny was also involved with our Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers Initiative, because she was an innovative legal educator. I will miss her energy, her enthusiasm, and her passion, but know that her legacy will live on.

The Association of American Law Schools is meeting in Washington, DC, this week for its annual meeting, which is themed "Academic Freedom and Academic Duty." This Inside HigherEd article previews the conference, which three members of the Educating…

From smartphones to video conferencing, there are numerous technology options that are simple, effective, and could make a great deal of difference in court users' experiences. IAALS' Eighteen Ways Courts Should Use Technology to Better Serve Their Customers explores some of these options and their potential impact on our civil justice system. 

Recent statistics from the United Kingdom show a drop in family mediation referrals, which have fallen an average of 26 percent from April to June 2013, compared to the same period last year. A number of possible reasons have been given to account for this drop, including a cut in legal aid funding for family law cases, following which courts have reported a substantial increase in cases filed.

The National Law Journal has compiled a special report of articles focused on costs of e-discovery, including this piece featuring IAALS' executive director Rebecca Love Kourlis.

On the final day of 2019, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary. In the report, he stresses the importance of civic education to ensure public trust and confidence in our country’s legal system.

The Iowa Supreme Court has requested comments on proposed amendments to the discovery provisions in the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure and a proposed new rule allowing for streamlined and expedited civil actions. The proposed amendments and new rule stem from a concern regarding the declining number of civil jury trials in Iowa courts, of which there were only 204 tried to verdict in 2012.

Only one attorney applied to fill a district court vacancy. Some speculated that potential applicants were discouraged by the fact that the appointee must run in November to keep the seat, for which another attorney has already filed to run.

On April 10, the State Justice Institute hosted a webinar to launch its new Funding Toolkit for State Courts and Justice System Partners. The toolkit is designed to support courts and their partners as they pursue federal and philanthropic funding opportunities, and includes resources that cover the entire grant-seeking writing and management process.

The San Diego Superior Court has implemented a new pilot program that allows couples to complete a simple divorce in just one day. The program has only a few requirements and is designed to foster collaboration between the parties so that the process can move swiftly toward less-adversarial resolution.

Educating Tomorrow's Lawyers has chosen Family Law with Skills at Hofstra Law as one of the classes they are showcasing. This spring I will share the techniques our class uses to teach students about the many layers of family law.

Last month, it was announced that reforms to Canada’s Divorce Act will be delayed due to COVID-19, highlighting just how important it is that courts prepare for this and other types of possible disasters. There are a number of practical steps courts must take now in order to meet people’s needs in a world where going to a physical courthouse is even more difficult—and dangerous.

IAALS is pleased to announce "Foundations for Practice." Led by Educating Tomorrow's Lawyers, this ambitious project focuses on improving legal education and closing the gap between how students are being taught in law school and the knowledge and skills legal professionals say new graduates need to succeed.

His fellow supreme court justices elected Justice Ricky Polston to serve as the next chief justice. The position rotates among the court’s members. Polston was appointed to the court in 2008 by Governor Crist.

In September, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences released Civil Justice for All, a report offering seven recommendations geared toward closing the justice gap, with an emphasis on bringing many new advocates—service providers who are not lawyers—into the effort.

Last month, preLaw Magazine released its list of best practical training schools for part-time students. preLaw considered 97 part-time programs, all having 20 or more students, and 22 were selected for the magazine's top honors. Four Educating Tomorrow's Lawyers Consortium schools were named to the list: Georgetown, Hofstra, Loyola Chicago, and the University of Maryland.