Judges in the Classroom
Judges in the Classroom
Judges in the Classroom (JIC) Through California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero’s Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative, we partner with educators and judges to provide meaningful civic learning experiences that inspire student engagement and strengthen democracy.
The JIC program pairs eligible judicial officers with K-12 public school teachers for virtual and in-person visits as requested by teachers that engage students in law-related civics lessons. The lessons, lasting approximately one hour, are focused on discussions on the Role of Judges, the U.S. Constitution, Rule of Law, or Historical Milestones in the making of our democracy. Community Engagement staff collects requests from schools in the area submitted to JIC and connects teachers with bench officers.
The JIC public website allows teachers to make requests for classroom appearances and offers lessons available for bench officers to present. Some of the lesson plans include “No Vehicles Allowed,” “Salem Witchcraft Trials,” “Riley vs. California,” “Sleepy Lagoon Zoot Suite Trial,” etc.
Signing Up is Easy!
Register Here: Judges in the Classroom Registration
Please note: When registering, include a secondary email address to ensure an additional, reliable contact method.
Please allow at least three weeks for courts to match a judicial official with your classroom.
For any questions?
Contact CommunityEngagement@occourts.org for more information.