News and Announcements

High profile cases demand much more of jurors personally than other cases do. They can last for weeks or months, attract intense media attention, expose jurors to physical threats and emotional stress, and force them into long periods of isolation, with only their fellow jurors and court personnel for company.

For a criminal defendant with limited English proficiency, or who has a hearing impairment, a skilled courtroom interpreter is a vital part of the justice system. Like court-appointed attorneys, interpreters enable defendants to understand proceedings and assist in their own defense. The role of court interpreters is the theme of a newly released Knowledge Seminar video.

The loudest voices may prevail at a townhall meeting, at a demonstration, or in the stands at a football game, but in courtrooms, civility and rationality win the day even when the stakes – and the emotions – are high. Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions is a flagship program of the federal Judiciary’s outreach to students that equips them with legal and life skills needed to settle disputes successfully in a respectful way.

Twelve people from diverse backgrounds in the law, media, government, and academia have been selected for a new public user group to provide advice and feedback on ways to improve the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service and other electronic public access services provided by the Judiciary. The group is expected to hold its inaugural meeting in February.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., has issued his 2019 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary.

In a typical week, federal judges in Chicago naturalize hundreds of new American citizens at the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Shortly before a recent ceremony, the court opened a special welcoming space to help youngsters share in their families’ dreams.

The Bill of Rights is among our nation’s most admired documents, guaranteeing broad personal liberties and inspiring some of the federal courts’ most famous and polarizing cases. 

A panel discussion featuring two federal judges, and a federal prosecutor and defender, aided by a video of a crime in progress, provide a probing inside look at how federal criminal trials unfold.

At a national diversity forum, federal judges sought to demystify the workings of the bankruptcy bench as a way to encourage law students and attorneys to take an interest in the practice area.

Employees from 10 federal courts have received the 2019 Director’s Awards, which recognize outstanding performance, innovation, and dedication by employees throughout the Judiciary each year.