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Education Programs

The Center’s Education Division has primary responsibility for planning and producing educational programs and resources, but all parts of the Center contribute to its educational mission. 

Programs and Resources for Judges

Newly confirmed district, bankruptcy, and magistrate judges are invited to a two-phase orientation program that covers such topics as judicial ethics, case management, pretrial and trial issues, evidence, judicial security, matters germane to their specific jurisdictions and roles, substantive law, and the effective use of technology. New court of appeals judges attend an orientation program that covers chambers and case management, judicial ethics, opinion writing and editing, wellness, and managing caseloads using information technology. Click the links below for descriptions of each program.

National and circuit-based workshops provide updates and continuing education on similar topics. Special-focus programs offer a deeper look at matters of particular interest, such as neuroscience, intellectual property, technology, managing complex litigation, electronic discovery, national security, and mediation. These workshops and seminars for judges are described at the links below.

From time to time, the Center provides an in-district program to address particular needs in that location or to enable the whole group of judges and/or affiliated stakeholders to receive training at one time. These programs are generally delivered on request. One such program is detailed below.

The Center regularly produces videos for judges and court attorneys on substantive legal topics. Videos are made available online for viewers to watch at their convenience. Some of the video programs the Center has produced include the following:

  • Civil Rules Scenarios
  • Criminal Justice Data Analytics
  • Discretionary Conditions of Probation and Supervised Release
  • Important Federal Trials (in cooperation with the Center’s History Office)
  • Prison Litigation
  • A Review of Eighth Circuit Bankruptcy Decisions
  • A Review of Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Decisions
  • Supreme Court: The Term in Review

The Center also hosts online forums that judges can use to share information related to their work. Users create new topics or post responses to existing topics on these message boards. An RSS feed or e-mail alert function enables users to monitor the content from particular posts, topics, or contributors. Forums primarily for judges center on the following topics:

  • Appellate Best Practices
  • Bankruptcy Best Practices
  • District Best Practices
  • Magistrate Judges Best Practices
  • Patent Best Practices
  • Reentry and Other Problem-Solving Courts Best Practices

Programs and Resources for Court Attorneys

The Center provides continuing education for attorneys employed by the courts: appellate staff attorneys, pro se and death penalty law clerks, chambers law clerks, and mediators. The Center regularly provides the programs listed below. (Click for a description of each program.)

The Center also hosts online forums that attorneys can use to share information related to their work. Users create new topics or post responses to existing topics on these message boards. An RSS feed or e-mail alert function enables users to monitor the content from particular posts, topics, or contributors. Forums primarily for attorneys focus on the following topics:

  • Attorney Best Practices
  • Court Libraries Discussion Forum

Programs and Resources for Federal Defenders

The Center provides education for federal defender staff in partnership with the Defender Services Office of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Programs planned for 2017 are listed below. (Click for a description of each program.)

Programs and Resources for Executives

The Center provides education that develops and strengthens the leadership and management skills and abilities of chief judges, court unit executives, and deputy court unit executives. Click for a description of programs for each group of executives.

Programs and Resources for Supervisors and Managers

Education for supervisors and managers aims to help them develop and enhance the knowledge, skills, and attributes essential to their jobs. Summaries of each of these programs follow.

Programs and Resources for Experienced Probation and Pretrial Services Officers

The Center offers continuing education opportunities for officers who have completed the initial training sequence at the Federal Probation and Pretrial Academy provided by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Office of Probation and Pretrial Services. Individual officers may attend the programs available for all court employees described elsewhere, as well as programs tailored to meet particular needs related to the criminal justice aspects of probation and pretrial work. Programs offered for experienced probation and pretrial services officers are listed below. (Click for a description of each program.)

The Center also hosts online forums that officers can use to share information related to their work. Users create new topics or post responses to existing topics on these message boards. An RSS feed or e-mail alert function enables users to monitor the content from particular posts, topics, or contributors. Forums primarily for probation and pretrial services officers and court teams center on the following topics:

  • Probation and Pretrial Services Officer Best Practices
  • Reentry and Other Problem-Solving Courts Best Practices

Programs and Resources for All Court Employees

Education for court employees develops workplace competencies (knowledge, skills, and attributes) common to many positions in the courts regardless of specific job duties. Additional resources are designed to inform court employees about innovations and effective practices throughout the courts. A variety of programs available to court employees can be found below.

Programs and Resources for Trainers

Certain court staff serve as facilitators and coaches for Center-sponsored programs. The Center provides the educational programs and resources listed below to assist them in fulfilling these roles. (Click for a description of each program.)