2026 Judicial Education Course Catalog

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 NOW AT THE MJC! Historical Trials XI: The Doctors’ Trial at Nuremberg & the Origins of Modern Medical Ethics D I & 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Nazi doctors had developed a technology of mass murder in the pre-war euthanasia movement and then adapted the techniques to the death camps of the Holocaust. They served as gatekeepers for the victims as they left their transports and they performed medical experiments on unwilling subjects. Yet in all this, they argued that they were living up to the requirements of medical ethics. The Nuremberg court in United States v. Brandt (known as the Doctors’ Trial) had to grapple both with the awful facts of the doctors’ crimes, and with the inadequacies of the medical ethics of the time. In its opinion the court set forth what has become known as the “Nuremberg code” which has had a profound effect on modern medical ethics. This program will describe the actions of the Nazi doctors, the ethical codes they practiced under, and the trial and its aftermath including its impact on medical ethics. The program will also examine the subsequent trials of doctors in the courts of the Federal Republic of Germany. Coordinator: Hon. Stephen Sfekas (Sr.)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 We’re All in this Together: Behavioral Health in Family Law Cases & Helping Families Heal D I & 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Parties often come to court using mental health diagnoses as weapons to restrict custody, access, reunification, and other relief. Judges are often confronted with requests for psychological exams and insufficient evidence of the implications of mental health diagnoses for caregivers and children; secondary trauma abounds. This course will explore the broad implications of behavioral health and secondary trauma in family matters, enable participants to better serve adults and children with behavioral health needs, and provide tools for reducing strife in the courtroom and the community. Coordinator: Hon. Cathy Serrette (Sr.) DECEMBER TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 Child Development & Parental Separation D I & 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Parental separation can contribute to a child’s anxiety, anger and confusion, as well as a basic sense of trust. There also may be developmental delays and behavioral problems that result. This course will explore the issues and consider whether the impact differs if the estranged parent suffers from alienating behavior by the other parent, as adverse to those situations in which the estranged parent brings the issue upon themselves. The role of the judge in discerning what has evoked the separation and how to mitigate ill effects will be considered. Coordinator: Hon. Lynne Battaglia (Sr.)

NOVEMBER THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Impact Criminal Cases 9 a.m. – Noon

An old favorite: the college’s annual update on the important recent criminal cases decided by the Supreme Court and Appellate Court, with trends and tips for handling breaking issues as they come before our courts. Coordinator: Hon. Douglas Nazarian Evidence in Criminal Cases 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. This course will review the latest new developments (case law, statutory, technological) affecting the resolution of evidence issues in criminal trials, as well as recurring issues and practical considerations in handling evidence issues in the courtroom. Coordinator: Hon. Michel Pierson (Sr.)

LUNCHTIME

DECEMBER 11

Sequential Intercept Model — A Framework for Deflection/Diversion Analysis with Hon. Marina Sabett

2026 Judicial Education Course Catalog

30