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Judicial Division / About Us

History

The American Bar Association Judicial Division (JD) traces its history back to the pre-WWII era. In 1913 it was first known as the Judicial Section of the ABA. In 1937 it became the Section of Judicial Administration, and in 1972 the Bylaws of the ABA Board of Governors were amended to create a Judicial Administration Division to "improve the administration of justice." The impetus for its establishment was to facilitate maximum judicial representation consistent with the best interests of both bench and bar.

In recent years, the Division has been most concerned with issues of judicial independence. Now the ABA Standing Committees and the JD Standing Committees have also worked on issues related to discovery reform, judicial ethics and judicial education. You can obtain a free copy of the Response to Criticsm of Judges (PC #4100017) from the ABA Service Center by calling 800.285.2221 or download a copy from our website.

Membership

The Judicial Division has approximately 4,000 members, including federal, state and local trial, appellate and administrative judges and lawyers. Dues are $35.00. In 1999 the Division amended its bylaws to allow non-judge members of the Division's Lawyers Conference to join judicial conferences subject to Division policy.

Membership in the Judicial Division includes affiliation with one of six judicial conferences:

• Appellate Judges Conference, created in 1964;
• National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary, created in 1971;
• National Conference of Federal Trial Judges, created in 1972;
• National Conference of Special Court Judges, created in 1968;
• National Conference of State Trial Judges, created in 1963; and
• Lawyers Conference, created in created in 1975.

Committees and Outreach

In addition to the Council, which governs the Division, and its six Conferences — the lifeblood of the Division — the Judicial Division also has committees to set policy, pursue goals, contribute to Judicial Division programs, publications and projects and provide other services to its members and the public.

The Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary is an active group within the Judicial Division. The Standing Committee is responsible for implementing the ABA Goal IX initiatives to promote full and equal participation of minorities in the legal profession. With representatives from each of the Judicial Division Conferences, the Standing Committee's work and goals include outreach to minorities nationwide, programs to showcase the roles of minorities in the judiciary, liaison and coordinatation of projects and activities with organizations concerned with related issues; creation of publications that educate and provide much needed resources, and provide guidance within the Judicial Division in its commitment to promote diversity.

The Division also works closely with the National Judicial College (NJC) and played a major role in its creation. In 1978, the College was created as an activity of the then Judicial Administration Division (now Judicial Division). In 1978, NJC became a separate Nevada not-for-profit corporation and now has a president, its own Board of Trustees, officers and budget. The Judicial Division recommends to the ABA Board of Governors nominees to the NJC Board of Trustees. Liaison between the College and the Judicial Division Director is also maintained.

The Judicial Division's Committee on the Traffic Court Program has existed since 1942 as the ABA's first public service program. Since the late 1940s, the Traffic Court program has presented the most comprehensive, cutting edge annual traffic court program in the country. Attendees throughout the United States come together to discuss the latest developments in traffic law, scientific evidence and the effects of drugs and traffic safety. The Committee's many innovations include automation of traffic courts, first with punch cards, later with electronic data processing and, ten years ago, with CRT devices. It has also popularized the ABA uniform "no-fix" traffic ticket and promoted Model Rules Governing Procedure in Traffic Cases.

The Committee promotes improved traffic courts through publications such as the classic Traffic Court Procedure and Administration, videos and educational programs. The Committee also works to compile updates on innovative traffic laws and programs nationwide through its Advisory Committee.

The Judicial Division Judges Network is an active organization of judges and attorneys dedicated to community outreach. The primary goal of the Judges Network web site is to supply judges nationwide with outreach programs that can easily accommodate the needs of their local communities. Most recently, the Network has sponsored subgrant programs providing grants of up to $1500 to joint bench/bar programs to improve the justice system.

Finally, Committee leadership works with national organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and organizations concerned with traffic laws and safety. For more information, contact 800/238-2667 x6259.

Long Term Goals

• Serve as the voice for the nation's judges;
• Promote improvements in the quality of justice provided by the judicial systems throughout the U.S.;
• Make the judicial system more understandable, accessible and affordable;
• Preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession as fundamental to a free society;
• Promote full and equal participation within JD and throughout the nation's judiciary by minorities and women; and,
• Enlighten society, law enforcement agencies, elected officials and legislators about the importance of an independent judiciary of high quality.

Immediate Goals

• Create better liaison with other sections and divisions of the ABA;
• Increase the visibility of JD by providing services to the ABA and the public;
• Outreach to and educate the public concerning the administration of justice;
• Develop increased interaction and improve relationships between bench and bar;
• Increase JD membership by developing programs and projects of wide interest to attract new judicial and lawyer members; and,
• Support and develop closer relationships with other judicial organizations (e.g., National Judicial College; American Judicature Society; National Association of Women Judges).

Governance

The Judicial Division is governed by a Council. The Council consists of the officers of the Judicial Division and representatives of its six conferences. The Council sets policy for the Division, coordinates the activities of the conferences and annually reviews its Bylaws. It exercises control over the budgets by preventing overlap and duplication of conference budgets, which are managed by the conferences' respective executive committees.

Most of the Judicial Division's educational programs are presented by its six Conferences. The Conferences are governed by their own executive committees, which set policies, review bylaws and manage their own budgets. Each Conference has active committees pursing their goals.

For an informative membership brochure, email the Judicial Division or call 800.238.2667, ext. 5705.