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Bolch Judicial Institute The Bolch Judicial Institute’s mission is to study and advance rule-of-law principles, judicial independence, and law reform through technology and innovation.

We provide unique educational opportunities for sitting judges in the U.S. and abroad.

Thanks to Urban Axes in downtown Durham for hosting the Bolch Judicial Institute staff for a fun afternoon of team build...
10/07/2026

Thanks to Urban Axes in downtown Durham for hosting the Bolch Judicial Institute staff for a fun afternoon of team building last Friday. Eric Surber took gold in the group competition, while Lora Beth Farmer took home the silver — and she also threw the most bullseyes!

A great time with the team — and a creative way to spend some time together outside the office.

In the latest edition of Judicature International, David Collins — chair of the Judicature International Editorial Board...
10/02/2026

In the latest edition of Judicature International, David Collins — chair of the Judicature International Editorial Board and an Acting Judge on the Court of Appeal of New Zealand — reflects on a question facing courts around the world: How should the judiciary and other institutions respond when judges face threats and intimidation?

His opening letter looks at judicial security through the broader lens of judicial independence and invites perspectives from judges and courts in other countries on how these challenges are being addressed.

Also in this edition: Bolch Judicial Institute Director Kim Mueller on threats facing the federal judiciary, two recent reports on judicial security in the United States, and our roundup of global judicial news.

Read the latest edition: https://createsend.com/t/t-551C322DCD1562D42540EF23F30FEDED

Subscribe to receive future editions:
https://confirmsubscription.com/h/t/5513A5E99304F98E

Yesterday, the Bolch Judicial Institute hosted “The Founders’ Vision for Congress,” part of the Star Rule of Law Series ...
10/01/2026

Yesterday, the Bolch Judicial Institute hosted “The Founders’ Vision for Congress,” part of the Star Rule of Law Series at Duke Law School.

University of Michigan Law School Professor Julian Mortenson and Professor Ernie Young discussed Article I, the Framers’ vision for the legislative branch, and how that vision has developed over time in a conversation moderated by Professor Marin Levy.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the discussion!

“I ❤️ the First Amendment.” “Governance by the people.” “Our collective hope as a people.”For Constitution Day, we asked...
09/29/2026

“I ❤️ the First Amendment.” “Governance by the people.” “Our collective hope as a people.”

For Constitution Day, we asked members of our Duke Law School community what the Constitution means to them. Their responses touched on rights and freedoms, self-government, stability, hope, and the continuing work of living up to our ideals.

Today offers a fitting moment to revisit a few of those reflections.

On Sept. 29, 1789, the First Congress adjourned its first session, just days after approving 12 proposed amendments to the new Constitution. Those proposals responded in part to concerns raised during ratification that the Constitution needed clearer protections for individual rights. President George Washington sent them to the states a few days later, and by 1791, ten had been ratified as the Bill of Rights.

Here are a few responses we wanted to share.

09/23/2026

How can judges make courtrooms more responsive to the effects of trauma?

Amelia Thorn, assistant director of the Bolch Judicial Institute, studies how judges view and adopt trauma-informed practices, from clearer communication and active listening to changes in courtroom procedures. Her research also informs her work training judges to put these approaches into practice. Read more: https://bit.ly/3V8Fd2C

On Sept. 22, 1862 — 164 years ago today — President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, de...
09/22/2026

On Sept. 22, 1862 — 164 years ago today — President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in states still in rebellion would be “then, thenceforward, and forever free” as of Jan. 1, 1863.

To mark the anniversary, revisit “A Brief Moment in the Sun,” a 2017 Judicature article by Zachary Newkirk that explores one important chapter in the legal history that followed emancipation: the Reconstruction-era courts of the Freedmen’s Bureau and their role in helping newly freed people seek justice in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Read the article: https://judicature.duke.edu/articles/a-brief-moment-in-the-sun-the-reconstruction-era-courts-of-the-freedmans-bureau/

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to celebrate Constitution Day with us! 🇺🇸We loved seeing so many people stop by for ca...
09/21/2026

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to celebrate Constitution Day with us! 🇺🇸

We loved seeing so many people stop by for cake, pick up a free pocket Constitution, and add their thoughts to our reflection board.

It made for a very happy 239th birthday celebration!

🇺🇸 What does the Constitution mean to you?On , Bolch Judicial Institute Director Kim Mueller reflects on three parts of...
09/17/2026

🇺🇸 What does the Constitution mean to you?

On , Bolch Judicial Institute Director Kim Mueller reflects on three parts of the Constitution that have been especially meaningful in her life — Article I, Article III, and the First Amendment.

Swipe through to read her reflections, then share your own with us today. 📝

Stop by our Constitution Day reflection board in Goodson Law Library near the Riddick Room, and join us for Constitution + Cupcakes from 1–2 p.m. on the Duke Law mezzanine. 🧁

We’d love to see what the Constitution means to you.

🇺🇸📝 Help us fill the board!In celebration of , we’re asking the Duke Law School community: What does the U.S. Constitut...
09/15/2026

🇺🇸📝 Help us fill the board!

In celebration of , we’re asking the Duke Law School community: What does the U.S. Constitution mean to you?

Stop by our display in Goodson Law Library near the Riddick Room throughout the week, grab a Post-it, and add your reflection to the board.

Then join the Bolch Judicial Institute on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 1–2 p.m. on the Duke Law mezzanine for Constitutions + Cupcakes. Celebrate the Constitution’s 239th birthday with a cupcake, pick up a free pocket Constitution, and enter for a chance to win one of 10 Bolch swag bags!

We hope to see the board fill up this week!

How can trauma-informed practices shape the way courts serve the people who come before them?Bolch Judicial Institute As...
09/02/2026

How can trauma-informed practices shape the way courts serve the people who come before them?

Bolch Judicial Institute Assistant Director Amelia Thorn spoke with Duke Law News about new research examining how judges are putting trauma-informed approaches into practice — and the role judges can play in shaping the broader courthouse environment.

🔗 Read the full story from Duke Law School: https://loom.ly/ko2tzOw

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