UNC could see new college

With the passing of a bill that would establish a judicial college at UNC, officials said the University could better meet the needs of North Carolina’s judicial system.

Sen. Walter Dalton, D-Rutherford, introduced a bill last week that would establish a judicial college at the University. The new program would offer continuing education classes for judges, clerks of superior court, magistrates and others who support judicial officials.

Judges also could attend the college for the mandatory 30 hours of instruction needed every two years to maintain their positions.

“Here at the school, we’ve long been involved in training for judges and court officials in North Carolina,” said Tom Thornburg, senior associate dean at the School of Government.

“We are the primary provider of training.

“Over time, we’ve come to think that judicial officials are needing more training than we are able to provide with current funding.”

The bill would procure the School of Government nearly $1,162,530 during the 2005-07 fiscal years, with $250,000 of that coming from the general fund of the UNC-system Board of Governors.

The additional funds would allow for the hiring of core personnel and start-up operations.

“Judges are being sent out of state for judicial training, which could have been taught right here,” said Phil Baddour, a N.C. lawyer who supports the bill.

“We are just scratching the surface of what those possibilities are.”

If passed, the bill will go into effect July 1.

Dalton introduced the bill to promote the Judicial Branch Education Study Committee’s vision that all judicial branch personnel receive the training and education needed to excel in providing justice.

The vision is a result of an 18-month study by the committee, in which members examined the current system of providing judicial branch education.

Classes at the college would mimic the format of those now taught at the School of Government and School of Law.

Jim Drennan, professor at the School of Government, teaches a seminar on N.C. law, which has served as an archetype for the bill.

The seminar invites court practitioners, prosecutors and defense lawyers for discussion of past court cases.

“It’s a luxury that judges don’t typically have,” he said.

“Each group brings something to the table, and each group learns different things from the process.”

Baddour said the new college would prove to be an asset to the University and the state.

“We want to have the very best judges,” Baddour said.

“The goal is to select high-quality judges, and then we have to equip them with the best education we can provide.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.