Collaboration Renews Commitment to the Epicenter for Judicial Education at University of Nevada, Reno

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
The nation's oldest judicial membership and education organization

RENO, Nev., February 22, 2023 (Newswire.com) - University of Nevada, Reno has a renewed commitment to host the Epicenter for Judicial Education at the University's campus. The University of Nevada, Reno Judicial Studies Graduate Degree Program, The National Judicial College (NJC) and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), with more than 160 years of combined judicial education experience, are helping to prepare the country's most important decision-makers and leaders serving the third branch of government.

"This collaboration is unmatched nationally, creating a powerhouse of resources, educational opportunities, and progressive thinking to serve the judiciary," said Jeffrey Thompson, executive vice president & provost at University of Nevada, Reno.

Together, the presence of these three unique but allied institutions in one locale creates the Epicenter for Judicial Education. The organizations contribute to the university and northern Nevada as well as Lake Tahoe through the University of Nevada, Reno Lake Tahoe campus.

"The NJC has been proud to call Reno home for nearly 60 years," said Benes Aldana, National Judicial College president and CEO. "Our students and alumni have long benefitted from our proximity and connections to the NCJFCJ and the Judicial Studies graduate degree programs. For judges looking to build on their knowledge and skills, no place offers more than Reno. And they get to see some of the most spectacular scenery at the same time."

"This partnership has and will continue to bring substantial benefit to the judiciary and the field of judicial studies," said Shawn Marsh, associate professor and director of the judicial studies graduate degree program exclusively for sitting judges. "The depth and breadth of education, research, and engagement these organizations provide has meaningfully improved outcomes for both consumers and administrators of justice across the United States and internationally," continued Marsh. "The Epicenter is indeed a unique asset of which our university and community should be proud."

Joey Orduña Hastings, chief executive officer of the NCJFCJ, said the organization relies on the strength of its members and partners to provide the best education, training, and research to every judicial professional in the country. The NCJFCJ turns 86 years old this year.

"Our invaluable and longstanding partnerships within the Epicenter for Judicial Education are essential to providing access to fair, equal, effective, and timely justice to every individual, family, and child," said Hastings.

The NCJFCJ will be hosting a Nevada Legislative Reception in Carson City on April 25, 2023. For more information, please visit the NCJFCJ website.

About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nevada-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges is the nation's oldest judicial membership and education organization focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation's juvenile and family courts. A leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the fields of juvenile and family justice, domestic violence, and domestic relations, the 2,000-member organization is unique in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide. The NCJFCJ serves an estimated 30,000 juvenile and family court professionals in state and tribal courts throughout the country.

About the National Judicial College:
Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, The National Judicial College remains the only educational institution in the United States that teaches courtroom skills to judges of all types from all over the country, Indian Country and abroad. The categories of judges served by this nonprofit and nonpartisan institution, based in Reno, Nevada, since 1964, decide more than 95 percent of cases in the United States. 

About the University of Nevada, Reno:
The University of Nevada, Reno, is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. As a Nevada land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is a comprehensive doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious "Carnegie Engaged" classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensive community and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. It is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics, maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world.