National Conference of State Trial Judges
NCSTJ Chair Welcome 
Welcome to the webpage of the oldest, largest, most prestigious organization of general jurisdiction state trial judges in the world. The fact that we are a Conference in the American Bar Association Judicial Division gives us a unique position of strength and influence. As lawyers and judges, we are working together to improve the justice system in all respects, including preserving our great jury system and providing fair and just courts throughout the land.
The 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in Chicago will be the culmination of our Conference’s 50th Anniversary celebration of having provided leadership for trial judges across this great nation. As part of the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association, the National Conference of State Trial Judges (NCSTJ) has a tremendous impact on trial courts, legislatures, and executives in our triune system of government.
One of my goals as Chair is to create a diversity and inclusion statement of principle that shows that we stand for diversity in our membership and leadership, and diversity throughout the justice system.
We are proud that we have become a diverse organization represented by a mixture of trial judges of both genders, various ethnicities and races and sexual orientations. We have participated and taken the lead in specific efforts at diversity. For example, members of the NCSTJ have chaired and volunteered time and effort for the Minority Judicial Clerkship Program for the past several years at the ABA Midyear Meetings. We have participated in the Minority Judges Mentoring Program and our Jury Management Committee is continuing its work on a jury system that includes different races, genders and life experiences.
In addition to these endeavors, there are several Conference Committees that could serve as a vehicle for your involvement: Business and Commercial Courts, Bylaws, Children and Family Law, Criminal Justice, Education, Ethics - Professionalism in the Community, Fair and Impartial Courts, Jury Management, Long Range Planning, Membership, Publications, Technology, Trial Court Leadership and Trial Court Standards. The Trial Court Standards Committee is our highlighted project for 2008-2009 which will involve updating and reforming the 1992 Standards Relating to Trial Courts, thus, making case flow management standards more realistic and usable in today’s courts.
For more information on the Committees and how to join please click here. Choosing a Committee that has a special interest to you is a great way to do your part to improve the court systems we work in on a daily basis. When you return to your courts, you will be armed with new knowledge and enthusiasm, recharged to get your job done better and more efficiently.
If you are interested in joining the American Bar Association Judicial Division National Conference of State Trial Judges, please click here for more information. There are many opportunities to professionally participate and at the same time enjoy the social activities.
We are like a family, working and playing together to accomplish our common goals. We look forward to you being part of our team for better trial courts and justice for all.
Honorable William J. Caprathe, Chair
As an active judge in the ABA Judicial Division, the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) would like to offer you free membership in the Section. TIPS addresses the issues that are important to you, such as fair and impartial courts and judicial pay restoration. TIPS is also one of the most trusted sources of knowledge and leadership on critical issues of justice and the legislative and regulatory laws that affect the tort and insurance practice areas.
To join TIPS at no charge, call the ABA service Center at 800.285.2221 and provide the code DIL9MJU2. For more information contact Linda Wiley, TIPS Membership Specialist or call 312.988.5673 or 800.238.2667.This one year complimentary section membership is available to Judges who are Lawyer Members of the ABA and not currently TIPS members. You may enroll in one complimentary section during the ABA Membership year. Your complimentary membership in TIPS will end at the end of the ABA Membership year, August 31st, 2010. At that time, your TIPS membership will automatically renew and you will be billed for the 2010-2011 Section dues. If you choose not to renew, simply cancel the Section when you send back your invoice, or call 1.800.285.2221.
Sign-up for the Judicial Voice, a directory of speakers who are Judicial Division members. Showcase your professional expertise and advance your career by participating in this new, member-only resource. Utilize this direcotory for planning conferences, teleconferences, and other educational programming for which there are speaker opportunities. If you are interested in finding a speaker using the Judicial Voice directory, please contact Lauren Silverstein by e-mail or by calling 312.988.5705.
2009 Directory of State Judicial Association Officers Now Available:
The NCSTJ is pleased to announce the release of the 2009 edition of the Directory of State Judicial Association Officers with Chief Justices and Court Administrators Directory. Click here to download the file. (This directory is provided as a benefit of membership to those enrolled in the National Conference of State Trial Judges. To join and receive access to this publication, along with a number of other members-only resources, please complete our online membership form.)
Call for NCSTJ candidates seeking 2010-11 Judicial Division Vice-Chair Position. Click here for more details.
The NCSTJ Nominating Committee is charged with selecting the nominees to fill the vacancies for Officers and Executive Committee members and reporting its recommendation not less than 90 days before the Annual Meeting. Click here to view the 2009-10 Nominees. These nominees will be elected by vote at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, August 2009.
A review on current trial judge activities by Judge Alexander P. White. Please click on item to view:
The 28th Annual National Conference of State Tax Judges
The Nineteenth Harold R. Medina Seminar
The Sixteenth Pound Civil Justice Institute
2008-09 NCSTJ Committee Enrollment has begun - click here for more information on how to join.
Bylaws: Changes to the NCSTJ bylaws have been approved by the ABA Board of Governors. Please click on this link to view the updated bylaws.
Judicial Mentor Program
The Judicial Division is proud to announce that the registration for the Judicial Mentor Program is now open.
Judges: click here to complete the on-line registration
Attorneys: click here to complete the on-line registration
2009 Annual Meeting
July 30-August 4, 2009
Chicago, IL
To Register, click here.
For more information on Justice Center activities, click here.
Midyear Meeting
February 4-7, 2010
Orlando, FL
The National Conference of State Trial Judges (NCSTJ) is an organization by and for the nation's state court general jurisdiction judges. A powerful force for improvement of the judiciary since its inception in 1958, the NCSTJ is the oldest organization of general jurisdiction state trial judges in continuous existence in the nation. Currently there are over 1,300 members nationwide. The NCSTJ is made up of several working committees that address such issues as judicial immunity, compensation, retirement and benefits, performance evaluation, jury standards, literacy, victims rights and funding for the court system.
The NCSTJ seeks to: improve the administration of justice; promote judicial independence; increase public understanding of the judicial system; provide a national forum to exchange information on common issues; and represent the interest of the nation's general jurisdiction trial judges in building a stronger, more effective system to resolve disputes.
The NCSTJ is the oldest and largest organization of general jurisdiction state trial judges in the world. Diversity is a core value of this organization and is vitally important to achieving our maximum potential. Mutual respect towards our differences in race, culture, ethnicity, religious belief, geographical location, gender, sexual orientation, physical limitation and ideological and political beliefs is indispensable to the administration of justice and the operation of the NCSTJ.
Bar association honors Judge Mark Hayes on Law Day. Read about it here.
Judge J. Mark Hayes and local bar expose local students to legal system. Read about it here.
Hon. John E. Conery was elected 2008-09 President of the Louisiana District Judge’s Association. Read about it here.
Current Chair William J. Caprathe has been co-chair of the Judicial Clerkship Program for the last three years. Read his last article about the 2008 program here.
Former Executive Committee member, Hon. Abraham Gerges, discussed the threats against judicial independence in today’s politics. Read about it here.
Immediate Past Chair, Hon. W. Terry Ruckriegle, speaks about maintaining historic courthouses. Read about it here.
Past Chair, Hon. William D. Missouri, receives the 2006 Distinguished Service Award. Read about it here.
Past Chair, Hon. Herbert B. Dixon Jr., is appointed to the ABA TECHSHOW Planning Board. Read about it here.
Hear a national broadcast interview with Past Chair, Hon. Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. or read about it here.
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