Judicial Skills Training for the Judicial Profession: a Multidisciplinary Curriculum for Individuals Aspiring to a Judicial Career
D.C. JUDICIAL COLLEGE, 2016-2017 COURSE INDEX
(Followed by Course Descriptions)
Part 1 (4 Credits) — Juridical Science Introduction – September 3, 2016 – November 15, 2016
PHILOSOPHY LAB
ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCES LAB
STRUCTURING ORDERS FOR MEDIATION/ADR
JUDICIAL PROCEDURE: CIVIL (Theories of Sufficiency, Equal Application; Role Play/Lab)
JUDICIAL PROCEDURE: CRIMINAL (Theories & Lab)
COURT MANAGEMENT; MENTORING, COACHING JUDICIAL CLERKS
Part 2 (5 Credits)— Judicial Skills Labs, Simulations – November 18, 2016 – January 31, 2017
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB I: ACTIVE / OBJECTIVE CASE INQUIRY
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB II: CONFLICT ANALYSIS / RESOLUTION
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB III: COUNSELING (Family Litigation Lab)
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB IV: FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF EXPERT REPORTS/TESTIMONY
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB V: INQUIRY, INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTIES; CIVIL/CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB VI: COMBATING CASE DISTORTIONS–INFLUENCE, DECEPTION, BIAS TRIGGERS.
Part 3 (5 Credits) — February 3, 2017 – April 16, 2017
ACCELERATED/ABRIDGED APPLIED MATH (Integrated Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry)
CRIMINAL & CIVIL JUSTICE STATISTICS
CULTURAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES LAB
COURT ACCESS & DISABILITIES LAB (Philosophy/Linguistics) SOCIOLINGUISTICS & PSYCHOLINGUISTICS LAB
NEUROSCIENCES LAB
Part 4 (5 Credits)—Science Of Evidence – April 19, 2017 - June 30, 2017
INTEGRATED STATICS, PHYSICS, & CALCULUS LAB
BIOCHEMISTRY (with neurobiology segment)
GENETICS LAB BIOINFORMATICS & COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY LAB FORENSIC SCIENCES LAB
Part 5 (5 Credits) — July 3, 2017 – Sept. 18, 2017
ACCOUNTING, FINANCE, QUANTITATIVE METHODS
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS RESEARCH LAB
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING LAB STATISTICS & DECISION SCIENCES INTEGRATION LAB
SURGERY LAB
Part 6 (5 Credits) — Sept. 21, 2017 – Dec. 2, 2017. Seminar – Judicial Situation Simulations
CASE DISTORTION SIMULATIONS
EQUITABLE REMEDIES
CASE LAW REVISITED; GETTING TO MERITS
EMPATHIC REFLEX SIMULATIONS
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING & COURT LEADERSHIP LAB
2016-2017 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS, D.C. JUDICIAL COLLEGE
SIX PART, 60-WEEK CURRICULUM: September 3, 2016 – December 2, 2017
PART 1 (4 Credits) — JURIDICAL SCIENCE INTRODUCTION: September 3, 2016 – November 15, 2016
PHILOSOPHY LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Topics:
• ROLE OF JUDGES IN FUNCTIONING OF COURTS (Emphasis is on Trial Court Judges—Before Whom all Litigants Come—as Arbiters of Fact Principally)
• COMMONALITIES IN THE JUDICIAL ROLE AMONG CIVIL & COMMON LAW TRADITIONS
• WORLD HISTORY OF JUDICIAL EDUCATION TO PRESENT: Includes Civil & Common Law Traditions; U.S. History of Judicial Branch Education–i.e., British System, Bill of Rights, Federal Judicial Center (FJC), National Center for State Courts (NCSC), National Association of State Judicial Educators (NASJE), National Judicial College, State Judicial Colleges (e.g., UNC, ASTAR (MD), UVA, GMU)
• IDENTIFYING/ADDRESSING NEED FOR FORMAL JUDICIAL EDUCATION: Congressional Record in Development of the Federal Judicial Center; Legislative Records of 40 states mandating Judicial Education; Columbia/NYU Death Penalty Study (2000): “A Broken System,” recommending Follow-up Error Causal Study;” NASJE’s Recommended Standards for Judicial Branch Education (2001); ABA Resolution 113 (2009); Westlaw’s Judicial Reversal Reports (2010)
• EFFECTIVENESS OF JUDICIAL EDUCATION & TRAINING: Course Assumes Truism that Judges and Judicial Professionals Seek to Perform Their Duties Exceptionally Well. Judicial Training Enhances Judging, Quality/Operation of Courts, Justice, Trade, Commerce, and the Economy. Innovations in Learning Technologies as Applied to Judicial Education are Examined, to Accelerate Learning rate of Judicial Skills
• PERSONAL REWARDS OF JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE
STATISTICS & COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES LAB – 1/2 credit (Involves introductory training in math, accounting, statistics, quantitative methods, and economics, w/ problem-solving, daily prep., weekly quizzes) M-Fri. 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Topics:
• LITIGATION ACCOUNTING 100. Analyzing the Financial Costs to Litigants of: Suing, Being Sued; Prosecuting, Being Prosecuted
• ERROR ACCOUNTING 100. Analyzing/Computing the Consequences (Costs) of Judicial/Court Error to: Individuals, Courts, Businesses, Accessors of Courts
GENERAL, ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCES LAB – 1/2 credit.
Lab involves introductory training in computational sciences, statistics, industrial organization (IO) psychology, IO philosophy. M-Fri. 11:00 a.m – 12:30 p.m. Segments:
• FORENSIC COURT STUDIES 100: Analyzes Causes/Sources of Court Error, Including:
External Distortions, often related to significant disparities in resources/representation among litigants; social, professional influence/pressure, both public and private, including ex parte; oral/written deception, specifically from parties, counsel, witnesses, experts
Operational—budgets, staff, docket size, judicial selection and training methodologies
Internal/Judicial—biases; bias triggers; influence from social/professional networks, relationships
• ORGANIZATIONAL PHILOSOPHY 100: Examines modernized Judicial Selection Criteria in terms of “judicial skills.” Judicial skills are studied and better understood and anticipated through analysis of the academic, professional, and other background characteristics of those trial judges exhibiting very low rates of serious error--i.e., good judicial skills. "Low rates of serious error" are identified and quantified through relative rates of appeal, orders reversed/vacated, while accounting for case types, docket sizes, etc. This segment helps judicial aspirants to better understand Core and Advanced Judicial Skills, how they are identified through the selection/admissions process, and how they are tested, measured, and further developed and fine-tuned through judicial skills training
COURT MANAGEMENT, MENTORING LAB – 1 credit
(Course delves into decision sciences, statistics, mentoring, coaching, counseling, operations research). M-Fri. 1:30 pm - 12:30 pm. Topics:
• DOCKET MANAGEMENT (Decision Sciences)
• MENTORING, BEING MENTORED (by Assigned Senior Judge)
• SELECTION CRITERIA FOR JUDICIAL CLERKS (Decision/Organization Sciences, Statistics)
• TRAINING, MANAGING, MENTORING JUDICIAL CLERKS
• COACHING COURT CLERKS: Deputy, Courtroom, Filing, Calendar, and Judicial Clerks
PART 2 (5 Credits) — JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB, SIMULATIONS: November 18, 2016 – January 31, 2017
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB I: INQUIRY/REFLECTION - 1 credit. M-Fri. 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
• Judicial Skills Training, Individually Tailored; Lessons Meld Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, Sociolinguistics, Behavioral/Neurosciences. Emphasis is on Recognizing, Reflecting upon, Managing, and Mitigating Internal Biases, and Personal/Professional Conflicts
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB II: CONFLICT ANALYSIS; CONFLICT RESOLUTION. 1 credit. M-Fri. 9:30 am – 11:00 am. Segments:
• CONFLICT ANALYSIS LAB: Segment/Lab focuses on Analyzing a Sampling of Highly-Charged, "Intractable" or "Complex" Disputes, Including Domestic, Family, Estate, Trust, and International Disputes. Builds Confidence and Strengthens Skills in Analyzing Conflicts, as a Necessary Precursor to Ending Harmful, Counterproductive Litigation, such as Family/Child Custody Litigation. Simulations Test/Develop Skills in: Active/Objective Inquiry/Listening; Analyzing Facts, Narratives; Ascertaining Historical, Cultural, Economic, Sociologic, Political, Anthropologic Drivers and Sources of Conflict; Detecting Deception--Often Involving Rhetorical Devices, Propaganda, and Other Linguistic Techniques (Non-Facts)–Whether From a Party, Witness, or Counsel; Delineating Counsel-Driven and Party-Driven Conflict; How/When to Introduce Effective "Primary" Dispute Resolution/Mediation into such Cases
CONFLICT RESOLUTION LAB: Lab focuses on Resolving a Sampling of Highly-Charged, Complex Disputes Involving Retained and/or Court-appointed Advocates, "Impartial" Witnesses/Guardians/Experts; Cases are Presented in Juvenile, Domestic, Family, Estate, Trust, Legal/Medical Malpractice, and International Disputes. Simulations Test/Develop Skills in Identifying Misunderstandings, Motives, Aggressor(s); Spotting False or Misleading Facts, Claims, Data; Understanding/Employing Narrative as a means of Formulating and Facilitating Formulation of Solutions; Use of Analog, Context, Cost Matrices, Story-Telling to Facilitate Dialog, Problem Solving, and to De-escalate/End Conflicts between parties Before the Court. A Training Emphasis is on cases where the Court serves as parens patriae, a doctrine that grants power and authority of the state to protect persons legally unable to act on their own behalf, such as in civil commitment, juvenile, guardianship, probate, and custody matters; in these cases, experts are often utilized by one or both Parties or by the Court. Lab utilizes Simulations (judicial situation simulations), including in "child custody litigation," a form of litigation typically harmful to affected children and their parents; a Role of the Court is to Analyze the Conflict, Query Counsel and Parties, and Attempt to Arrest, Settle, or Facilitate Prompt Settlement (e.g., at Initial Hearing, or Prior to Discovery or Trial). Custody Litigation Simulations Test/Develop Judicial Capacity to: Assess and Mitigate Financial and/or Representation Disparities Among Parties/Family Members that Can Drive the Conflict; Effectively Order/Enforce Primary Dispute Resolution (PDR) (Mediation, Arbitration, etc.); Identify/Redress Instances where Counsel (for one or both parties) is: Escalating Conflict, such as Parental Conflict; Creating Misunderstandings; Seeking to Sever Parental Communication (i.e., induce bad parenting) to Enable Escalation/Extension of Conflict; Making False or Unwarranted Tactical Claims--of, e.g., Domestic Violence–to obtain Unfair Legal Advantage, Escalate Conflict, or Obfuscate Real Violence/Abuse; Thwarting Mediation/ADR or Obstructing Settlement
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB III: COUNSELING (Family Litigation). 1 credit. Live Role Play and computer-based gaming supplement practical experience at a simulated mental health site, and at a Community Counseling Service Center. Training builds knowledge, empathy, and skills in: trauma care, including litigation-induced trauma; child, adolescent development; human sexuality; grief and loss; substance abuse; child, elder, and financial abuse; parenting; interventions. Judicial situation simulations test/develop dispute resolution and counseling skills. Learners also preside over mock “family litigation” in: juvenile, neglect, divorce, custody, domestic violence, and probate court cases. Learning judicial role in family litigation requires identifying common interests/goals among the parties; assessing causes and drivers of litigation; recognizing where, and determining extent, conflict is non-party, court, expert, or counsel-driven; judiciously mitigating and/or remediating non-party sources of conflict; structuring, ordering, and enforcing effective mediations; ordering and facilitating inter-family communication; counseling parties on benefits of inter-family deliberation and cooperation, and of participatory, prompt, and sustainable resolution of “family litigation.” Research, clinical work, role play, and gaming simulations.
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB IV: FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF EXPERT REPORTS/TESTIMONY. 1 credit. M-Fri. 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. Segments:
• LINGUISTIC/FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF EXPERTS' STATEMENTS: Simulations Teach/Test Skills in Linguistic and Forensic Analysis of Expert Reports/Testimony such that Useful, Factual and Reliable Data May be Taken from Expert Witness Statements, while Rhetoric, Propaganda, Hearsay, Gratuitous Derogations, or Unsupportable Facts/Diagnoses May be Disregarded or Noted as Indicia of Bias, Advocacy (e.g., for Paying/Commissioning Party/Firm), or Non-Expertise. These Simulations Build Confidence in the Judicial Professional's Ability to Critically Review Statements of Counsel and Expert Witnesses in Cases Where Only One Party is Adequately Represented or Can Afford Representation or to Present Expert(s). Parens Patriae Simulations Help Make the Aspiring Judicial Professional More Confident in Using His/Her Exceptional Fact-Finding Skills, More Active in Analysis and Appropriate Use of Expert Statements, and Less Likely to Permit a Retained or Appointed "Expert," or "Impartial" Guardian, Custodian, or Court Appointee (Non-Judge/Juror) to Usurp the Judicial Role. An "Expert" Professional, Even a "Highly Reputable" One, May Have Loyalties to a Party/Firm Where Retained, Paid or Referred by Same, or May Lack the Investigative, Inquiry, Critical-Thinking, or Fact-Finding Skills of a Jurist/Fact-Finder Operating Under Rules of Evidence and Logic With Benefit of Judicial Skills Training
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB V: INQUIRY OF, INSTRUCTIONS TO, PARTIES; JUDICIAL PROCEDURE. 1 credit. M-Fri 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm. Segments:
• INQUIRY, INSTRUCTION, beginning with assessing, in civil/criminal matters, relative experience of, disparities in, parties’ representation, from pro se informa pauperis to litigants having seasoned legal teams (requiring increasingly sophisticated judicial scrutiny); course teaches, through role play, judicious querying of litigants, beginning from initial status hearing, to ascertain causes of dispute, history and nature of dispute, relief sought, defenses, statutes of limitations, jurisdiction, standing, venue; teaches judicial professionals to ensure the parties and counsel understand the scheduling order, the date of the next event, settlement conferencing procedures and their purposes, and procedure for motions, form and service of pleadings, timing of pleadings, permissible/non-permissible contacts with Court/Clerks, how substantive motions shall be decided (as taught, on an evidentiary basis with adequate notice to parties of the date of the evidentiary hearing and the issue to be decided); inquiry of parties’ intent regarding discovery, the schedule for discovery, and for the filing of dispositive motions and evidentiary hearings
• PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE JUDICIAL SKILLS: Particularly useful where there is a disparity in the parties’ relative trial experience; skills training includes learning to assess the Parties Understanding of the Purpose of the Pre-trial Conference, and to Outline the Expectations of the Court on Procedure to be followed in the Pre-trial Conference and the Joint Pre-trial Statement
• JURY TRIAL SKILLS
JUDICIAL SKILLS LAB VI: ASCERTAINING FACTS; DETECTING/MITIGATING CASE DISTORTIONS—INFLUENCE, DECEPTION, BIAS TRIGGERS (utilizes individualized assessment simulations). 1 credit (w/ quizzes, role-play, Judicial Situation Gaming/Simulations). M-Fri 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm. Segments:
• EVIDENCE 100. Course Employs Instruction, Role Play, and Gaming/Simulations to test/develop ability/propensity of Learner to Distinguish Between Assertions of Fact and Non-Fact (e.g., Linguistic Techniques) such as: Opinion, Hearsay; Rhetorical devices–Hyperbole, Ad Hominem, Indignatio, Antiptosis; Propaganda techniques–Innuendo, Rumor, Stereotyping, Mis-associating, Name-calling, Overgeneralizing, etc.
• EVIDENCE 200. Assessing/Quantifying Degrees of Uncertainty in Evidence; Recognizing Failure of Counsel/Witnesses/Experts to Express Uncertainty Where Circumstances Render Uncertainty Inherent
• INFLUENCE 100. Course tests/trains through scripts, role play, simulations, Detecting, Mitigating, and Deterring Improper Influences from an entity, firm or litigant appearing before the Court
• INFLUENCE 200. Course tests/trains through scripts, role play, simulations, Detecting, Mitigating, Improper Influences From Media, including Social Media, Political, or 3d-party Sources
• INFLUENCE 300. Course tests/trains through scripts, role play, simulations, Detecting, Mitigating Improper Internal Influence, e.g., from court personnel or colleague commenting on or active in your case--i.e., drafting or reviewing orders, docket entries, or other judicial activity--and who may have been influenced by a litigant or other
• ORAL DECEPTION 100. Course tests/trains–through audio, role play, simulations--Detecting, Deterring, and Mitigating Oral Deception from Parties, Counsel, Witnesses, Experts, etc.
• WRITTEN DECEPTION 100. Course tests/trains–through scripts, role play, simulations-- Detecting, Deterring, and Mitigating Written Deception from Parties, Counsel, Witnesses, Experts, etc.
• CLERKS 100. Hiring/Retaining Judicial Clerks: Criteria, Evaluations
• CLERKS 200. Coaching/Instructing Judicial, Calendar, Courtroom, and Filing Clerks re.: Procedure, Pleadings, Rendering Docket Entries, other Judicial Duties; Ex Parte Contacts; Employment Interviews; Internal Influences; External Influences; and Influence by Entities Before the Court
PART 3 (5 Credits)— February 3, 2017 – April 16, 2017
• ACCELERATED/ABRIDGED APPLIED MATH - 1 credit. This course in general applied math is designed specifically for the judicial profession. Calculations are required in every case, whether civil or criminal, and math is an important component of judicial education. This is intended as a refresher course to increase confidence in numbers, and to enhance logic and problem-solving skills; problem sets and weekly quizzes in introductory, integrated/abridged algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. M-Fri. 8:00 am - 9:30 pm.
• CRIMINAL & CIVIL JUSTICE STATISTICS- 1 credit. M-Fri. 9:30 p.m.- 11:00 a.m.
• CULTURAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES LAB - 1 credit. Through this course, participants have an opportunity, with the aid of learning technology designed for the space program, to improve their focus and attention span, and to improve efficiency and accelerate the rate of learning. M-Fri. 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
• COURT ACCESS & DISABILITIES LAB - (Philosophy/Linguistics) - Live Role Play and computer based simulations focus on use of language in facilitating court accessibility and in promoting and reflecting fairness of the court. Pleadings and orders can sometimes reflect bias or negative, disparaging, or patronizing attitudes toward people with disabilities or other identifiable groups of people, or parties. Tests/develops skills in oral/written use of language that is neutral, precise, and conveys respect for the integrity of the parties and the court. M-Fri. 12:30 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
• SOCIO-LINGUISTICS & PSYCHO-LINGUISTICS LAB - 1 credit. Course tests/develops skills in forensic analysis of varying forms of oral/written language–in witness statements, particularly "expert" reports/testimony, pleadings and oral arguments--tending/designed to trigger biases, to mislead, or to confuse a finder of fact; exercises, quizes, on-line lessons. M-Fri. 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• NEUROSCIENCES LAB - 1 credit. (Including instruction and problem sets in an introductory neuroengineering segment; course designed to challenge and fine-tune logic, analytic reasoning, and problem-solving skills; weekly quizzes). M-Fri. 4 pm – 5:30 p.m
PART 4 SCIENCE OF EVIDENCE (5 Credits)—April 19 2017 – June. 30, 2017
• INTEGRATED STATICS, PHYSICS, & CALCULUS LAB - 1 credit. (Including problem sets in abridged, accelerated introductory statics, physics, and calculus; weekly quizzes). M-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
• BIOCHEMISTRY LAB - 1 credit. (Daily problem sets/weekly quizzes in introductory biology, chemistry, accelerated and abridged). M-Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• GENETICS LAB - 1 credit. (Daily problem sets/weekly quizzes in introductory biology, genetics, and biogenetics, accelerated and abridged). M-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS & COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY LAB. M-Fri. 1:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. Lab bridges computer science, mathematics, statistics, biology, and biomedicine; learners are tasked with gathering, assessing reliability of, judiciously sharing, and managing life sciences data—i.e., Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Biomedical Informatics. This entails development and application of computational techniques for handling biological and biomedical informatics data. In judicial situations, learner is then tasked to both understand, and to critically reflect upon, statements of, and data presented by, practitioners/experts among fields of: law, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, systems biology, tissue engineering, and image analysis. Simulations test/develop inquiry, critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving skills.
• FORENSIC SCIENCES LAB- 1 credit (w/ simulation training). M-Fri. 3:00 pm- 5:00 pm
PART 5 EVIDENCE, PROBLEM-SOLVING (5 Credits) — July 3, 2017 – Sept. 18, 2017
• ACCOUNTING, FINANCE, & QUANTITATIVE METHODS LAB - 1 Credit. M-Fri. 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
• SYSTEMS ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS RESEARCH LAB - 1 Credit. M-Fri. 9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
(Daily problem sets/weekly quizzes in introductory systems engineering, accelerated and abridged).
• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• STATISTICS & DECISION SCIENCES INTEGRATION LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 1:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Learning exercises require integration of modern statistical methodologies into decision/judicial sciences. Simulations teach Bayesian thinking and associated computing skills, probability elicitation, fairness/efficiency utility assessment, and approaches for maximizing utility/judiciousness of decision-making.
• SURGERY LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 3:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. (Course includes anatomical instruction in conjunction with performance of simulated surgical procedures; surgical simulations are developed with a focus on addressing actual causes of hospital/surgical error).
PART 6 (5 Credits) - Sept. 21, 2017 – Dec. 2, 2017
• SEMINAR – CASE DISTORTION SIMULATIONS – 1 credit.
Judicial aspirants—in heightened states of learning with aid of gaming, biofeedback, and brain sciences technology–proceed through judicial situation simulations, requiring: discernment of evidence in motions/hearing practice, distinguishing fact from non-fact; detecting, mitigating, and responding to oral and written deception and varying forms/degrees of improper influence; recognizing and reflecting on internal biases, and spotting those of colleague(s), clerk(s), or case actor or influencers and probing their possible causes, assessing risks/uncertainties, and judiciously dispatching large to seemingly small conflicts (judicial situation simulations). M-Fri. 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
• EQUITABLE REMEDIES LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
• CASE LAW REVISITED; GETTING TO FACTS, MERITS - 1 credit. M-Fri. 11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
The experienced judicial professional, any among the senior judges who has served terms as both trial and appeal court judge might view Case Law, as often practiced, as a means of influencing a Court by citing a reliable authority making a favorable pronouncement, but in a different case with significantly different facts and circumstances. An experienced jurist will experience the use of case citations as a lobbying technique, often presented to the Courts out of context and without the presenter’s knowledge of the precise or complete factual findings on which the cited ruling(s) was/were based. Case Law Reliability Index (CLRI) programs may be used to analyze case citations in a specific pleading against the reported (and unreported) facts in each of the cited cases, in order to determine a pleading’s case law reliability. This course attempts to instill in aspiring judicial professionals a “fealty to the facts,” as a necessary means through which they can, as jurists, consistently advance justice and avoid serious and costly errors.
• SEMINAR - EMPATHIC REFLEX SIMULATIONS – 1 credit. M-Fri. 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Judicial Aspirants—in heightened states of learning with aid of gaming, biofeedback, and brain sciences technologies—learn, at an accelerated rate, to perform a variety of common trades, thus testing and developing empathic reflexes, patience, and problem-solving skills (w/ simulations).
• ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING & LEADERSHIP LAB - 1 credit. M-Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tests/develops individual and group leadership skills for presiding judges, chief judges, and aspiring court administrators. Learners work individually and in groups to identify weaknesses and defects in: state/federal laws, court rules, court operations/decision-making. Learners promulgate and manage systemic, organizational changes/innovations to remedy defects and improve court processes. The course is intended to provide experiential learning and to contribute to improvement of court operations in tandem with formalization of the judicial profession (marked by model standards for admission and accreditation of state judicial curricula). Court management learning incorporates simulations in budgetary analysis, staff management, communications, court rule-making, and quality control (to promote court fairness, efficiency, and judicious resolution of disputes). Program requires learner to challenge assumptions through critical reflection; includes self-directed, on-line organizational learning.