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In Colorado, Judges Teach Civics to Adults

Surveys show that only 26 percent of U.S. adults can name all three branches of federal government, and 31 percent can’t name even one. Judiciary leaders in Colorado and elsewhere are working to improve those numbers.

Our Courts Colorado, a 10-year-old partnership, provides practical civics education to adults in their communities about how courts function and affect their lives, according to a new U.S. courts video. Many of the talks are given by participating federal and state judges.

“When people can step back and see that judges … really do want to apply the law fairly and equally to everybody, they have a lot more confidence in the system,” said Marcia Krieger, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado and a co-founder of Our Courts Colorado.

The presentations, which are given at civic organizations and community spaces,   include such topics as the rule of law, separation of powers, judicial impartiality, bankruptcy and jury service, as well as court fundamentals and proceedings. In addition to Our Courts Colorado, adult civics education programs are offered by the Second, Third, and Ninth Circuits, with more being developed across the nation.

Related Topics: Public Education