Judicial Education Commission January 29, 2007 Minutes

Judicial Education Commission

MINUTES

January 29, 2007

Members Present
Justice Mary Muehlen Maring, Chair
Judge John Irby
Judge Steven McCullough
Judge DeNae Kautzmann
Dean Paul Lebel
Shawn Peterson

Members Absent
Judge David Reich
Judge Sonna Anderson
Jean Lindvig

Staff
Lee Ann Barnhardt

Justice Maring called the meeting to order. A motion to approve the Dec. 8, 2006, meeting minutes was made by Judge McCullough and seconded by Dean LeBel. Motion carried.

Old Business

I. DUI Training for Judges

By consensus, the Commission members agreed to not offer the Hardcore Drunk Driving training program this year. After reviewing the curriculum materials, the Commission agreed that North Dakota judges were already implementing some of the suggested practices and did not currently have the resources for some of the other sentencing models and treatment strategies featured in the training.

II. LAWriters Seminar

By consensus, the Commission agreed to contract with LAWriters to provided education programing on report writing and legal and opinion writing in 2007. The sessions will be held in conjunction with the Fall Judicial Conference and Court Support Staff Seminar in November, but will be open to all Judicial Branch employees interested in taking the courses.

III. Municipal Training Subcommittee

Judge Kautzmann agreed to chair a small subcommittee of municipal judges to look at training needs and continuing education requirements for Municipal Court Judges. She anticipates having a report and recommendation for the Commission in approximately six months.

IV. Judicial Institute Agenda

Lee Ann Barnhardt presented a draft of the Institute agenda. The Commission agreed to hold the traditional Law School Dinner on Monday night of the Institute and combine it with a keynote address by a member of the Institute faculty. Ms. Barnhardt said she would send out a Save-the-Date notice for the Institute and would contact Ralph Mowder regarding security for the Institute.

New Business

I. Future Meetings for Strategic Planning

The Commission members agreed to meet from Noon to 3 p.m. on March 30 at the Doublewood Inn in Bismarck, following the Faculty Development Institute, to continue working on the strategic plan. They also agreed to meet one other time before that meeting and asked Ms. Barnhardt to coordinate a date.

II. Regular Commission Meetings for 2007

Ms. Barnhardt suggested that the regular meetings of the Commission be set for the rest of 2007. The members agreed to check their calendars and be prepared to set the schedule at the next regular meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.

Respectively submitted,
Lee Ann Barnhardt