ABOTA's Mission
 

The American Board of Trial Advocates is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. First and foremost, ABOTA works to uphold the jury system by educating the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury.

 

Preservation of Trial by Jury

Educating the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury is the primary goal of the ABOTA Foundation. We have a number of educational programs for teachers and students to preserve the constitutional vision of equal justice for all Americans and to preserve our civil justice system for future generations. 

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Professionalism, Ethics, and Civility

ABOTA is an organization that requires its members to be responsible for elevating the standards of integrity, honor, ethics, civility and courtesy in the legal profession. Members cultivate a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship among each other and work to encourage and advance members of ABOTA professionally.

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Preserving the Independence of the Judiciary

Preserving the quality and independence of the judiciary has been a hallmark of ABOTA’s efforts over the years. ABOTA works to maintain and support public confidence in the judiciary by providing timely assistance to members of the bench in responding to adverse publicity, misinformation, or unwarranted criticism of an individual judge or the judiciary.

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Public Education

Justice by the People  
Helping educators teach about the importance of trial by jury.

James Otis Lecture Series  
Educating students so they will have knowledge of and respect for the U.S. Constitution.

Teachers' Law School  
Teachers attend a modified law school specially designed for them.

Journalist Law School  
Supporting journalists who cover the courts consisting of a free four-day intensive seminar on the legal system. 
 

 

ABOTA Today
Spotlight

 

ABOTA Foundation and iCivics makes jury duty fun with launch of We the Jury video game
 
WASHINGTON DC (Dec. 11, 2012) — With the launch of its 17th online game, We the Jury, iCivics is bringing fun to jury duty.
 
Serving on a jury is one of the fundamental duties of American citizenship. Yet when most Americans see that summons come in the mail, their first thought is “How can I get out of jury duty?” It’s a staple 
of sitcoms and comedy routines. When Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer appeared to serve jury duty, national newspapers treated performing this basic duty of citizenship as something remarkable.
 
Citizenship is about both rights and responsibilities, and the right to a jury of your peers is secured by the responsibility of serving as one of those peers. In We the Jury, students are exposed to the importance of serving on a jury with an engaging and fun game.
 
“iCivics’ mission has always been to make civics engaging, educational, and relevant,” said iCivics Executive Director Gene Koo. “We the Jury highlights for young people one of the most important duties of citizenship, one that is essential if our democracy is to continue to thrive.”
 
In the News
Masters in Trial Cutting Edge Techniques for the Brave New World of Jury Trials
June 7 at Southwestern Law School
Featuring The Honorable Daniel J. Buckley, updating on the state of the Los Angeles Civil Courts 
7.25 hours CLE. Click here to register
 
Masters in Cross Examination at the Arkansas Bar’s Annual Meeting
June 14 in Hot Springs, Arkansas
http://www.arkbar.com/pages/AnnualMeeting.aspx
 
 
Masters in Trial at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting
June 19 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas
Featuring Lewis Sifford’s acclaimed ethics talk
Approved:  7.5 hours CLE including 1.0 hour legal ethics credit. Click here to register