2026 Judicial Education Course Catalog

JULY (CONT’D)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 Behavioral Science — The Tools We All Need & How to Use Them D I & 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Regardless of the type of case, it is important to understand the people that come before us. In order to apply the law fairly and with fidelity, we must strive to do so in a way that does not perpetuate the problem before us or make it worse to the detriment of the people and the communities that we serve. Join behavioral science experts as well as judges who have successfully utilized behavioral science in their courtrooms as we understand and explore why and how specific behavioral science findings, tools and solutions should be incorporated into our work as judges everyday as effective instruments for justice. Coordinator: Hon. Marina Sabett TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 Bench Book Club & Beyond 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. We will read and discuss the book Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum , which chronicles the history of the Crownsville State Hospital. We will then follow up with experts to discuss the legacy of Jim Crow institutions in terms of the present barriers of Black, Indiginous, and People of Color to access mental health and community-based treatment. Experts/instructors will provide guidance for identifying culturally competent mental health treatment in the community. Coordinator: Hon. Shannon Avery

TUESDAY, JULY 21 Expert Testimony 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Expert testimony is a feature of the majority of criminal and civil trials. This full-day course will address the legal standards and rules governing the admission of expert opinion testimony in Maryland courts. It will explore different ways judges can establish courtroom and chambers procedures for ruling on these issues in a timely and orderly fashion. The presenters will discuss the similarities and differences in presenting expert testimony in civil and criminal cases. And they will learn from one another by discussing the ways in which they and their peers have addressed expert opinion issues in their courtrooms. Coordinator: Hon. Robert Taylor

AUGUST

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 District Court Medley 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

District Court judges are tasked with being a jack of all trades, and this full-day course will help you become a master of many issues that may come up on a district court docket. This course will cover new (and recurring) issues in landlord-tenant law, bail reviews, peace and protective orders, affidavit judgments, and more! This course will focus on the “advanced level” and nuanced issues, such as the Interstate Agreement on Detainers, Department of Natural Resources citations, and municipal and county infractions. Coordinator: Hon. Cara Lewis

LUNCHTIME

AUGUST 19

Serving People with Disabilities D I & with Randi Ames, Esq.

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Judicial College of Maryland