Judges in the Community

Judge Story (U.S. District Court, N.D.Ga) shares a program he runs for law school students to teach civics, the U.S. Constitution, and the law to middle and high school students across the state of Georgia. Through this unique opportunity for both law school students and the participants, he highlights the importance of civic education in the classrooms.

Judge Faruqui (U.S. District Court, D.D.C) shares the methods and motivations behind getting engaged with civic education across the country. From his involvement in various civic education opportunities and programs in Washington DC and beyond, he emphasizes the importance of “showing up.”

Judge Hayes (Tennessee General Sessions Court) has creatively brought the fun and excitement of pickleball to the pickleball courts in Nashville, Tennessee, to break down the barriers and create an opportunity for the community to learn more about the judicial system and the courts. 

From students to adults, Judge Carparelli (Colorado Court of Appeals), Justice Gabriel (Supreme Court Justice of Colorado), and Judge Krieger (U.S. District Court, Colo.) with the Our Courts program provide nonpartisan information about the state and federal courts in the state of Colorado, to diverse groups of audiences. You can learn more about their inspiring work in civic education here and get a look into the programming they do on these slides: Our Courts.

Established as the gold standard for judicial outreach and civic education for a decade now, these incredible judges from the Southern District of Florida share the steps along the way of their program’s journey and provide valuable insights and resources for any interested parties, available through the Federal Bar Association here and the US Courts website here!

Captured live this March, Judge Julia Alloggiamento and her colleagues at the Santa Clara County Courthouse of the Northern District of California travel to Windmill Springs Elementary for their annual tradition of sharing stories, Q&A sessions, and group hugs with the youth in their community.

BJI’s first installment features Judge Celeste Bremer of the Southern District of Iowa discussing her courthouse’s community-based artwork, commissioned from local high school students and serving as a beacon of warmth and welcoming for over a decade.

Serving the border town of Laredo, Texas, Judge Saldaña and Judge Song Quiroga provide insights and powerful impacts from their courthouse’s first ever paid summer fellowship program for the underrepresented high school students of their community.

Judge Constance Cohen of the Southern District of Iowa’s juvenile court system illuminates her reading-based project to keep families affected by the legal system engaged and connected in easily accessible, but extremely impactful ways. Learn more here!

Diving deep into the archives of bias and bigotry in Washington’s judicial past, Judge David Keenan seeks to bring to light for King County’s incoming law students the reality of a career in the legal field — both its dangers and its opportunities for progress.

Hailing from the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Morgenstern-Clarren shares how she took it upon herself to make magic for the children of immigrants in her community and craft spirited naturalization ceremonies exclusively for them, complete with live music, poetry, and more.

Seeking to make a difference in her bankruptcy branch of the legal world, Paula Beran joins BJI to speak of her experience creating DREAMS (Discovering Restructuring Expertise and Mentorship Symposium) to offer career opportunities and valuable insights to the lucky students of Howard Law.

From the moment he took office as FBA President in 2016, Michael Newman has dedicated an enormous part of his judicial career to civics education — visiting classrooms across the country, inspiring bright-eyed kids with even brighter futures everywhere, and urging his fellow judicial professionals to do the same.

Inaugurating amidst the pandemic’s turmoil and the drive for systemic change boiling underneath, Judge Julia Alloggiamento traces the inception and evolution of her courthouse’s annual outreach program which emphasizes the importance of judicial diversity and encourages legal pursuits within her community’s underrepresented student population. 

As the initiative continues to spread across courthouses in the 2nd Circuit, Judge Joseph Bianco shares the story of how he and his colleagues established the first ever summer camp in the federal court system and the range of all the incredible things this powerful idea were able to bring to his community.

Overflowing with amazing ideas and the drive to match, Judge Nancy Joseph sheds light on the incredible journey the lucky students in her institute embark on — with immersive legal and judicial education, mentorships, and internships to boot. Check out this article from an affiliated partner, Marquette Law School, to see just how much she and her efforts been changing lives for a decade now.

Intertwining countless civic education strategies, Judge Landya McCafferty shares the wide world of community outreach she offers to the middle and high school students of her New Hampshire district — naturalization ceremonies, student talks, sentencing scenarios and more!