Welcome to the Center for Judicial Independence

The American Judicature Society created the Center for Judicial Independence in 1997 in response to an increase in unfair criticism and efforts to remove from the bench judges who have issued unpopular rulings. New York attorney Robert M. Kaufman, who was president of the American Judicature Society when the Center for Judicial Independence was established, said that the American Judicature Society’s "historic commitment to educating the public about the role of courts" made AJS "uniquely suited to adopting judicial independence as a cornerstone issue."

Since the Center was established, it has promoted judicial independence by publishing an issue of its journal Judicature on the topic and by educating the public through its programs, activities, and Web site. The Center for the Judicial Independence complements AJS’s other centers, the Elmo B. Hunter Citizens Center for Judicial Selection, the Center for Judicial Ethics, and the National Jury Center.