Increasing public understanding of the justice system is central to the mission of the American Judicature Society. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.) noted in an article, “the long-term solution to the politicization of the judiciary process is education.”

Here you will find information about outstanding materials and innovative models for educational programs, updates about new and noteworthy efforts, and links to additional resources.  If your organization offers educational programs on the judiciary that should be considered for inclusion here, please contact us.
 

Public Education Spotlight

Website screen shot of the Federal Courts site Federal Courts' New Educational Tools - All About Federal Courts 2011 The federal courts’ Internet site offers classroom-ready and courtroom-ready resources in multimedia formats on its Educational Resources page.  Topics include cyberbullying, texting while driving, and downloading music on the Internet. Bill of Rights programs and resources deal with teen-relevant  First and Fourth Amendment scenarios based on Supreme Court decisions.  Find tools for teachers, as well as homework help for students, including Federal Court Basics, and Fast Facts.  Courtroom and classroom activities, videos, podcasts, slide shows, and handouts are adaptable for interactive presentation boards, electronic slide presentations, and social media at  http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources.aspx.   For more information, contact Federal Courts’ National Outreach Manager Rebecca Fanning at outreach@ao.uscourts.gov Click here to view past Public Education Spotlight programs.

What's New in Public Education

New Lesson Plan on Judicial Independence AJS is pleased to announce the availability of the third lesson plan in its High School Curriculum on the Judiciary. The new lesson plan—Judicial Independence—helps students understand the concept of “judicial independence,” why it is important for our courts, and how it can be threatened. Funding for the development of the High School Curriculum on the Judiciary was provided by the Spencer Williams Foundation for Judicial Independence.  Click here to view the new lesson.