The Modern Family Court Judge: Knowledge, Qualities & Skills for Success

Publication
Family court judges make significant decisions affecting our nation's families, yet these judges are often undervalued—even by their peers on the bench. And, there is insufficient acknowledgement of the broad expertise required to do the job well.… MORE

Momentum for Change: The Impact of the Colorado Civil Access Pilot Project

Publication
This report details IAALS' final findings on the Colorado Civil Access Pilot Project (CAPP), the state's experiment with new court procedures intended to secure the fundamental promise of our civil justice system: a just, speedy, and… MORE

Allocating the Costs of Discovery: Lessons Learned at Home and Abroad

Publication
Understanding how the courts and rulemakers have addressed the costs of discovery, including their allocation between the parties, provides important background and context for future recommendations. This report reviews the laws in the United… MORE

Choosing Judges: Judicial Nominating Commissions and the Selection of Supreme Court Justices

Publication
This report details the judicial nominating commissions used to select supreme court justices in 30 states and the District of Columbia. In these jurisdictions, the nominating commission accepts applications for judicial vacancies, screens the… MORE

The O’Connor Judicial Selection Plan

Publication
IAALS has a deep and abiding interest in protecting the quality and integrity of the judiciary. To that end, IAALS has worked closely with an extremely qualified Advisory Committee chaired by United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (… MORE

Summary of Empirical Research on the Civil Justice Process: 2008–2013

Publication
This publication provides a synthesis of the relevant empirical research on the civil justice process released from 2008 to 2013. In addition to IAALS research, it contains studies conducted by a variety of organizations and individuals, including… MORE

IAALS’ Report on “A Forum for Understanding and Comment on the Federal Rules Amendments”

Publication
IAALS drafted this report coming out of its Forum for Understanding and Comment on the Federal Rules Amendments, which was held on December 5, 2013. The Forum brought together a group of approximately forty lawyers, academics, and judges from… MORE

Joint Comment on the Proposed Federal Rule Amendments

Publication
IAALS and the American College of Trial Lawyers Task Force on Discovery and Civil Justice submitted comments on the proposed Federal Rule Amendments. The comment provides a summary of the pilot project and rules reform activity around the country,… MORE

Working Smarter, Not Harder: How Excellent Judges Manage Cases

Publication
This report is the culmination of a joint project between IAALS and the American College of Trial Lawyers, which involved interviewing nearly 30 state and federal trial court judges, from diverse jurisdictions nationwide, who were identified as… MORE

Recommended Tools for Evaluating Appellate Judges

Publication
Recognizing that appellate Judicial Performance Evaluation (JPE) programs have largely been patterned after programs for trial judges, IAALS is pleased to offer recommendations and tools for evaluating the performance of appellate judges that… MORE