New Judge Pro Tem Training Program

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

The New Judge Pro Tem Training Program enhanced existing training of new judges pro tem in two significant ways. First, centralized in-person judicial training and education classes, simulations, and demonstrations were developed, expanded, and delivered to new judges pro tem. Second, concrete and detailed expectations and guidelines for subsequent in-person bench training were developed for both new judges pro tem and their sponsoring Justices of the Peace. The purpose was to improve the quality and consistency of justice rendered by new judges pro tem when serving litigants in the courts, by improving their judicial education, providing more substantive and procedural education at the beginning of their service, and making their training more consistent and efficient to accomplish. As a result, new judges pro tem received nearly twice the amount of judicial education before beginning their bench training than they had in the past. Expectations for bench training were clearly defined. Engagement in and attendance at these voluntary judicial education classes was high.