FJI sponsored a total of 11 educational programs this fall for new and experienced trial and appellate judges in Massachusetts (four of which took place as live, in-person events).
Surviving Civil II, a large-scale, interactive, day-long conference, helped prepare judges from different departments to hear common and routine civil motions. The program reviewed many of the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure and the cases that interpret those rules. The agenda also included an important segment on Chapter 93A cases.
Another nuts and bolts program for judges was: Sentencing: The Basics and Beyond, which focused a half-day on sentencing law, sentencing dispositions, probation, and parole.
The Role of the Judge in Successful Reentry, held in late September, provided insights into how judges can contribute to making the process more successful – even before the time of sentencing.
FJI offered three programs to keep judges apprised of recent legal developments on the state and national levels: “In Case You Missed It” Law Update; SCOTUS Year-in-Review: The New Majority Asserts Itself; and Independence or Convergence – A Review of the Supreme Court, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and Criminal Law (bench-bar with Social Law).
The very popular and always timely Hon. Haskell C. Freedman Retreat for Probate and Family Court Judges took place in early November.
The fall curriculum also featured three FJI Author Series programs, including: The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth (Kristin Henning), The Sewing Girls Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America (John Wood Sweet), and The Proof: Uses of Evidence in Law, Politics, and Everything Else (Frederick Schauer).
If you had to miss any of these worthwhile programs, login to view videos and access course materials (where applicable).