Special Topic for District Court Judges (April 1-3, 2020) has been postponed indefinitely. 

This seminar provides more intensive instruction on a particular topic of interest to District Court judges. The topic for the 2020 seminar will be Toxic Stress and Trauma-Informed Jurisprudence, focusing on how toxic stress and trauma affect the litigants in cases including juvenile, family law and domestic violence, and how you can take steps to minimize the impact on your courtroom and community. Topics will include recognizing trauma in your courtroom, best practices for dealing with people with high ACES scores, the real-world impacts of judicial orders, and trauma-informed courtrooms. In addition to the dynamics and science of toxic stress and trauma, we will discuss the judicial discretion and decision-making issues that arise frequently in these cases. The program will conclude with evidence-based self-care tools and practices that might help you notice and respond to the toxic stress and trauma you experience with greater resilience.