Pope Francis Reduces Bureaucracy for Annulments

News and Updates
“Complicated,” “costly,” and “unobtainable” are words that Pope Francis wishes to eliminate from the common description of marriage annulments within the Catholic Church. The pope has issued a new law that sets out a number of changes designed to “… MORE

New Ohio Website Seeks to Educate Judicial Voters

News and Updates
With the leadership of Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, a coalition of groups in Ohio has launched a new website—Judicial Votes Count—to better educate voters in judicial elections. The site offers information about the structure of the Ohio court… MORE

How Are Judges Chosen? New Resource Gives State-by-State Breakdown

News and Updates
It is no surprise that there is much confusion around how judges get to be judges in the United States. No two states use the same method to select and retain their judges, and even in individual states, the method may vary by the level of court and… MORE

ABA Urges Right to Counsel in Alaska Custody Cases

News and Updates
In a recent amicus brief to the Alaska Supreme Court, the American Bar Association (ABA) argues that the Alaskan Constitution requires appointment of counsel to an indigent parent in a child custody case when a private lawyer represents the other… MORE

With Grateful Hearts, We Remember Don Scott

News and Updates
This summer, the legal community lost a giant: Don Scott. Don was a Harvard undergraduate and Yale law graduate whose practice began and grew under the aegis of Kirkland and Ellis. In 1993, Don, Fred Bartlit, Phil Beck, Skip Herman, Jim Palenchar,… MORE

Follow Our 2015 #ETLConference Online as We Debut Foundations for Practice Results

News and Updates
It’s that time again! We’re incredibly excited to share the first results of our Foundations for Practice project and help build on what we’ve learned at this year’s Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers Conference. Our 4th Annual Conference will be held… MORE

Hollis to Chair the ABA Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress

News and Updates
Congratulations to IAALS Board of Advisors member Sheila Slocum Hollis on her appointment as the new Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress. The Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress serves as the ABA’s “… MORE

Recapturing Confidence in the Judiciary

News and Updates
Do you trust the judiciary? If you thought “yes,” then you may be in a shrinking crowd. Judge Kevin S. Burke, Hennepin County district judge and IAALS board member, begins a recent article with candor – Public trust in the courts has dropped to an… MORE

New Study: Elected State Supreme Court Justices More Likely to Uphold Death Sentences

News and Updates
According to a new study by Reuters, in states where supreme court justices are elected and reelected by the voters, justices uphold death sentences more often than their counterparts in states where justices stand for retention or reappointment.… MORE

Indian Supreme Court Upholds Its Independence, Calls for More Transparency

News and Updates
The Supreme Court of India recently struck down a new law that sought to increase the executive branch’s power over the selection of judges. The Court ruled the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act unconstitutional, commenting that “once… MORE