Texas Election Results Highlight Need for Judicial Selection Reform

News and Updates
In Bexar County, the recent election has produced another wave of straight-ticket voting on judges. Texas is one of only three states in which voters can cast a straight-party ballot for all candidates, including judicial candidates. This year,… MORE

University of Missouri Hosts Symposium on "Overcoming Barriers in Preparing Law Students for Real-World Practice"

News and Updates
On October 19, 2012, the University of Missouri hosted a symposium which addressed how law schools can better prepare students to practice law. The symposium consisted of scholars, practitioners, and judges who analyzed the needs of… MORE

Introducing the Honoring Families Initiative

News and Updates
“It seems that the wag who once said ‘marriage is grand—divorce is a hundred grand’ was underestimating the situation.” So began Chapter 8—which focused on divorce and child custody cases—in our 2011 book, Rebuilding Justice. Divorce and resolution… MORE

Honoring Families Initiative Advisory Committee Member Receives the University of Denver's Highest Faculty Award

News and Updates
Congratulations to Professor Howard Markman, member of the Honoring Families Initiative Advisory Committee, for receiving the University of Denver's John Evans Professorship Award. This honor is the University's highest faculty… MORE

Senate Republicans Deciding If They'll Confirm Judicial Nominees During Lame-Duck Session

News and Updates
Senate Republicans are split on whether to consider confirmation of judicial nominees, many of which have been pending for several months, during the lame-duck session or wait until the next Congress. Prior to the election, there were 19 stalled… MORE

Ohio Judicial Election Process Called into Question after Defeat of Highly-Rated Justices

News and Updates
The defeat of two incumbent supreme court justices has led some to consider making changes to the judicial election process. Neither justices’ qualifications were called into question, and both received higher ratings from the state bar association… MORE

Rebecca Love Kourlis to Speak at Program About Streamlining Pretrial Processes Involving Financial Experts

News and Updates
Rebecca Love Kourlis, Executive Director of IAALS, will speak about the organization’s work to improve the use of financial experts in litigation on December 5 for the Colorado Bar Association CLE’s Measuring Lost Profits in Litigation program, co-… MORE

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Reflects on the Current State of the Judiciary

News and Updates
In an interview with Parade Magazine, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Honorary Chair of the Advisory Committee to the Quality Judges Initiative, discusses why approval ratings for the U.S. Supreme Court justices have fallen, stressing… MORE

Supporters of Judicial Selection Reform in Minnesota Optimistic about 2013

News and Updates
Proponents of replacing Minnesota’s nonpartisan judicial elections with commission-based gubernatorial appointment, retention elections, and performance evaluation were pleased to see Democrats regain a majority in the legislature for 2013,… MORE

Texas Supreme Court Issues New Rules, Makes Expedited Actions Mandatory

News and Updates
The Texas Supreme Court has issued its long-awaited rules for expedited actions this week, making the process mandatory in cases of $100,000 or less. The rules are being adopted as a result of Texas legislation that called upon the Court to… MORE