The resources below include information about the United States legal system as well as more general references related to court administration, judicial independence, ethics, and associations of judges. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of materials in this field and the Federal Judicial Center does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.
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United States Legal System
A
New Judge's Introduction to Federal Judicial Administration (2003)
20 pages
American
Bar Association Division for Public Education
The mission of the ABA Division for Public Education is to promote
public understanding of law and its role in U.S. society. This website
includes information about "How Courts Work" as well as talking
points on judicial independence.
Creating
the Federal Judicial System, Third Edition (FJC, 2005) 30 pages
Electronic
Journals: Economic Perspectives, U.S. Foreign Policy Agenda, U.S. Society
& Values, Global Issues, and Issues of Democracy
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information
Programs publishes five electronic journals about the United States,
including information about the U.S. judiciary. Arabic, French, Portuguese,
Russian, and Spanish translations of many of these journals are posted.
Federal Courts and What They Do (FJC, 1997) 30 pages
Inside the Federal Courts (FJC on-line tutorial about the U.S. judicial system)
Legal
and Court Staff in the United States Judiciary (2004) 10 pages
Outline
of the U.S. Legal System
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information
Programs publishes this outline, which covers the history and organization
of the federal and state judicial systems; the criminal and civil court
processes; the background, qualifications, and selection of federal
judges; the role of other participants (lawyers, defendants, interest
groups) in the judicial process; and the implementation and impact
of judicial policies.
The
Federal Court System in the United States: An Introduction
for Judges and Judicial Administrators in Other
Countries (this publication is available on the U.S. courts
website in English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and
Turkish.)
United
States Sentencing Commission
The United States Sentencing Commission is an independent agency in
the judicial branch of government. Its principal purposes are: (1)
to establish sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts,
including guidelines to be consulted regarding the appropriate form
and severity of punishment for offenders convicted of federal crimes;
(2) to advise and assist Congress and the executive branch in the development
of effective and efficient crime policy; and (3) to collect, analyze,
research, and distribute a broad array of information on federal crime
and sentencing issues, serving as an information resource for Congress,
the executive branch, the courts, criminal justice practitioners, the
academic community, and the public.
U.S.
Courts
The U.S. Courts website is maintained by the Administrative Office
of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the federal judiciary. The Administrative
Office is the federal judiciary's central support agency responsible
for providing a broad range of management, legal, technical, communications,
and other support services for the administration of the federal courts.
Included on this site is Understanding
the Federal Courts, a publication developed to provide an introduction
to the federal judicial system, its organization and administration,
and its relationship to the legislative and executive branches of the
government.
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Judicial Conduct and Discipline
American
Judicature Society Center for Judicial Ethics
The Center for Judicial Ethics of the American Judicature Society acts
as a clearinghouse for information about judicial ethics and discipline.
Code
of Conduct for United States Judges, and Codes of Conduct for Judicial
Employees
The codes of conduct that apply to the U.S. federal courts are available
on the U.S. Courts website, which is maintained by the Administrative
Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the federal judiciary.
Strengthening
Integrity of the Judiciary, United Nations
This United Nations website includes the Bangalore Principles of Judicial
Conduct.
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Judicial Independence
American
Bar Association Standing Committee on Judicial Independence
Standing Committee on Judicial Independence serves as the ABA's clearinghouse
for information and resources designed to protect the independence
of the judiciary, improve public understanding of, and confidence in,
the judiciary, and promote the importance of an accountable, efficient
and effective judicial system.
American
Judicature Society
The American Judicature Society (AJS) works to maintain the independence
and integrity of the courts and increase public understanding of the
justice system. It is a nonpartisan organization with a national membership
of judges, lawyers and other citizens interested in the administration
of justice.
Basic
Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, United Nations
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Beijing Statement of Principles of the Independence of the Judiciary
in the LAWASIA Region
Drafted in 1997 -- and eventually signed by more than 32 Chief Justices
within the Asia/Pacific region -- this statement of principles represents
an attempt by signatories to set aside differences in legal traditions
in order to articulate the minimum standards believed necessary to
maintain independent and effective judiciaries.
ICJ
Practitioner's Guide
Produced by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), this Practitioner's
Guide offers practical insight on the international principles governing
the independence and accountability of judges, lawyers, and prosecutors.
It also presents the most relevant and current international standards
on the topic.
Judicial Independence in the United States (2001) 15 pages
Judicial
Independence Talking Points (FJC History Office)
United
States Department of State: International Information Programs
The Freedom Papers is a series of seven papers that provide practical
information, case studies, and sources of information on issues of
democracy-building, including an independent judiciary.
Universal
Charter of the Judge
Drafted by judges from around the world, and unanimously approved by the Central
Council of the International Association of Judges, the Charter outlines the
minimal norms and expectations needed for the maintenance of judicial independence.
USAID
Office of Democracy and Governance: Guidance for Promoting Judicial
Independence and Impartiality (pdf)
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Court Administration
Conference
of State Court Administrators
The Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) seeks to provide
a national forum to assist state court administrators in the development
of a more just, effective, and efficient system of justice. It
accomplishes this goal by identifying issues relating to the administration
of judicial systems, providing a network for the exchange of information,
and assisting in the formulation of national policies that impact
state courts.
International Association for Court Administration
The International Association for Court Administration promotes professional
court administration and management in emerging democracies and other
countries pursuing the rule of law.
National Association
for Court Management
NACM is an organization of court management professionals dedicated
to the improvement of courts and the development of court managers
National
Center for State Courts
The mission of National Center for State Courts (NCSC) is to improve
the administration of justice through leadership and service to state
courts, and courts around the world.
National Consortium
for Justice Information and Statistics
Formed in 1969, the National Consortium for Justice Information and
Statistics (SEARCH) has sought it identify and help solve the information
management problems confronted by state and local justice agencies
as their need to exchange information with each other has grown.
The Court Administrator (NACM, 1992)
The National Association for Court Management prepared this manual to provide a better understanding of court administration for judges and other interested parties. It describes the importance of professional court administration, the role of the court administrator, and the qualifications and resources needed for selecting court administrators.
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Associations of Judges
European
Association of Judges
The European Association of Judges (EAJ) aims to represent the
interests of European judges and magistrates, as well as strengthen
the rule of law and judicial independence in all member European
states.
International
Association of Judges
The International Association of Judges was founded in Salzburg (Austria)
in 1953 as a professional, non-political, international organization,
grouping not individual judges, but national associations of judges.
The main aim of the Association is to safeguard the independence of
the judiciary, as an essential requirement of the judicial function
and guarantee of human rights and freedom.
International
Association of Women Judges
The International Association of Women Judges is a non-profit organization
that has united women judges from diverse legal-judicial systems who
share a commitment to equal justice and the rule of law. Through judicial
education programs and worldwide collaboration, the IAWJ is working
to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender, and make courts
accessible to all.
International Judicial Relations Committee of the U.S.
Judicial Conference
The Committee on International Judicial Relations was established by
the Judicial Conference of the U.S. in 1993 to respond to the enormous
increase in demand from newly emerging democracies and developing countries
for information about judicial independence, legal traditions, and
effective court administration in the U.S. Toward this end, the mission
of the Committee is to serve as a resource in the establishment and
expansion of the rule of law and the administration of justice throughout
the world. Download a PDF describing the work of the International
Judicial Relations Committee.
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