Judicial Education in Illinois

2011-2012 Judicial Education Events

General information about 2011-2012 Judicial Education events is shown below by month. Click on a event name for an overview of the seminar. For additional information, contact the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Judicial Education Division, at 312/793-3250 or juded_events@court.state.il.us. If you have an interest in serving as either a member of a benchbook writing team, or judicial faculty for future judicial education events, please complete the Judicial Education Volunteer Form.

ONLINE REGISTRATION
Illinois Judges can register for one of the events below online thru the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Portal and Conference Management Application (CMA). Registration restrictions do apply. Please see registration details for each event.

Expand all | Collapse all

October 2011

Enhancing Permanency Hearings
October 25, 2011 - Carbondale
October 27, 2011 - Springfield
October 28, 2011 - Peoria

Seminar Overview
The judiciary plays a significant role in achieving timely, safe and stable permanency plans, and appropriate judicial oversight provides added protection and improved outcomes for children in foster care. Join us for one of these important trainings near you.

November 2011

Enhancing Permanency Hearings
November 15, 2011 - Chicago
November 16, 2011 - Rockford
November 17, 2011 - Wheaton

December 2011

New Judge Seminar
December 5 - 9, 2011 - Chicago

Seminar Overview
Newly elected and appointed judges are required to attend New Judge Seminar, a five-day orientation and training held annually. New judges receive an in-depth introduction to judicial ethics and conduct, as well as substantive and procedural topics. Some of the topics to be addressed include criminal law and procedure, civil motion practice and trial practice, family law, juvenile law, and issues relating to the management of DUI cases.

January 2012

Education Conference 2012
January 30 - February 3, 2012 - Chicago

Seminar Overview
Education Conference is the primary vehicle through which minimum continuing judicial education hours can be fulfilled. Judges are afforded the opportunity to choose from a wide range of topics in a flexible conference format. The sessions offered vary in length and type, based on the scope and complexity of the topic.

Sixty sessions, many repeated twice, along with early bird sessions and kiosks will provide flexibility in scheduling from midday Monday through Friday afternoon. The plenary session, which is mandatory, will be held Tuesday at 9:00am.

April 2012

Education Conference 2012
April 16 - 20, 2012 - Chicago

May 2012

DUI/Traffic Issues
May 15 – 16, 2012 - Lisle

Seminar Overview
This 2 day regional seminar will focus on critical issues and cases relating to driving under the influence, from arrest to sentencing.

Requires authorization by the Chief Circuit Judge - Authorization Form

Comprehensive Judicial Education Plan for Illinois Judges

Foreword
I.	Statement of Purpose
II.	Judicial Education Programs
	A.	General Policies
	B.	Judicial Education Credit for Attendees
	C.	Judicial Education Credit for Teaching
III.	Illinois Judicial Conference Education Programs
	A.	Policies and Procedures
		1.	Planning, Development and Administration
		2.	Criteria for Attendance Approval by the Chief Judge or his/her designee
		3.	Approval Procedure
	B.	Judicial Conference Education Programs
		1.	Education Conference
		2.	New Judges
		3.	Illinois Judicial Conference Seminars
		4.	Advanced Judicial Academy
		5.	Faculty Development
		6.	Judicial Benchbooks
		7.	Other Judicial Education Services
IV.	Non-Judicial Conference Judicial Education Programs
	A.	General Policies Governing Attendance at Non-Judicial Conference Judicial Education Programs
	B.	Attendance at Non-Judicial Conference Judicial Education Programs
		1.	Criteria for Approval by the Chief Judge or his/her designee
		2.	Procedure for Approving Attendance at Non-Judicial Conference Education Programs
Long-Term Projects (Appendix A)
Non-Judicial Conference Judicial Education Programs (Appendix B)
Request for Approval of Non-Judicial Conference Judicial Education Programs (Appendix C)
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Judicial Education Division (Appendix D)

Information about Judicial Education Programs

Under the authority of the Illinois Supreme Court, the Judicial Education Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts coordinates and manages judicial education events in partnership with the Appellate Court Administrative Committee, the Illinois Judicial Conference Committee on Education, the Judicial Mentor Committee, the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Justice and Mental Health Planning, the Special Supreme Court Committee on Capital Cases, Divisions of the Administrative Office and other entities approved by the Court.

EDUCATION CONFERENCE
In 2000, the Supreme Court reinstated the large conference format to provide a wide range of judicial education and professional development activities for associate, circuit and appellate judges. The Education Conference is presented twice in alternate years, with half the state’s judges participating in the first session and the other half in a second session. In 2008, the Conference was expanded to a 30 hour curriculum and became the primary vehicle for the fulfillment of minimum continuing judicial education hours. Full attendance and participation in the 30 hour Conference meets the continuing judicial education obligations of Illinois judges, as established by the Supreme Court.

Regional Seminars
Regional seminars are two-day judicial education events that provide opportunities for detailed study of a selected topic.
Mini Seminars
Mini seminars are one-day judicial education events that provide study and discussion of specific substantive and procedural topics in a condensed time period.

CAPITAL LITIGATION SEMINAR
To insure the highest degree of judicial competency, Supreme Court Rule 43 requires judges who may preside over a capital case to attain certification every two years through participation in a Supreme Court approved Capital Litigation Seminar.

APPELLATE COURT CONFERENCE
The Appellate Court Administrative Committee studies and recommends methods to improve the processing of appeals. The Committee also plans the annual Appellate Court Conference, attended by Appellate Court Judges, Clerks and Research Directors. The Conference serves as a forum for discussion and dissemination of information relating to the specific concerns of the Appellate bench. The annual meeting of the Appellate Court is held during the Conference.

LEGAL RESEARCH & WRITING WORKSHOP
While most of the training coordinated by the Judicial Education Division is for the benefit of the judiciary, the Court recognizes the need for non-judicial court personnel to receive training as well. Accordingly, a Legal Research and Writing Workshop for the benefit of all Appellate and Supreme Court Law Clerks, Research Directors and Research Attorneys will be offered October 28th and 29th, 2010 in Springfield, and by videoconference in Chicago. Workshop faculty will provide an overview of judicial opinion writing and updates to U.S. and Illinois Supreme Court cases. In addition, they will review the Style Manual of the Appellate and Supreme Courts and offer helpful tips for online legal research.

PEER JUDGE MENTOR TRAINING
The Judicial Mentor Committee, in partnership with the Administrative Office, coordinates training and certification for New and Peer Judge Mentors. New Judge Mentors are assigned to judges who have been on the bench less than one year, while Peer Judge Mentors are assigned to judges with more than one year of judicial experience who have self-referred or received a referral from their Chief Circuit Judge. Mentors for both new and peer judge mentees are nominated by Chief Circuit Judges and approved by the Judicial Mentor Committee. Both New and Peer Judge Mentors must participate in training prior to receiving certification. The first training of Peer Judge Mentors was held November 18, 2010 in Springfield at the Administrative Office.

NEW JUDGE SEMINAR
Newly elected and appointed judges are required by the Supreme Court to attend the New Judge Seminar, a five-day orientation held annually. New judges receive an in-depth introduction to judicial ethics and conduct as well as substantive and procedural law.

ADVANCED JUDICIAL ACADEMY
The Advanced Judicial Academy offers an opportunity for judges to critically consider the intersect of law and society and judicial decision-making in a casual university setting. The focus of the Academy is rooted in the desire to understand evolving and dynamic social perspectives of, and relevant outcomes associated with, existing law; to gain insights drawn from literature; and, to build greater personal and professional understandings through shared ideas and experiences.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
Faculty Development is an opportunity for existing and prospective judicial faculty to review adult learning theories and practices; enhance facilitation and presentation skills, including the use of PowerPoint and TurningPoint technology; and develop instructional strategies leading to effective and successful judicial education programs.