Civics Education

One of the key missions of the Federal Judges Association is to promote public education about the judiciary.  Consistent with this goal, in April 2011, the FJA Board approved a civics education initiative to enhance public understanding of the Constitution, the role of the courts, judicial independence and the rule of law.  The Civics Education Task Force worked with a consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of court websites and to recommend best practices for public access to information about the court.  In cooperation with the Federal Magistrate Judges Association and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, and with funding from the John and James L. Knight Foundation, the FJA developed a website, The Federal Courts: Civics Education, to assist judges and others in their outreach to students and teachers.  In addition to the resources listed as part of the Civics Education Project, we offer a select compendium of other websites related to civics education, including a A Guide to the Federal Magistrate Judges System.

Please also refer to FJA’s community outreach resource manual. Created in 2020, this manual is organized by federal circuit and details programs and resources available to the public.