The nation’s only course for lawyers who aspire
to become judges
The Judicial Academy helps lawyers who are interested in becoming judges learn about the profession and improve their chances of appointment or election to the bench.
As of the summer of 2024, 31 alumni of the first four Judicial Academy classes had already made it to the bench. See below for the full list.
“I absolutely loved the Judicial Academy, and I highly recommend that anyone aspiring to a judicial career invest in this course,” said Presiding Judge Lorrie Sinclair Taylor of the 20th Judicial District Court in Loudoun County, Virginia. She became the first African-American judge in the history of Loudoun County.
Participants in the weeklong course learn from veteran judges about a judge’s responsibilities, including:
Interpreting the law
Assessing evidence
Controlling hearings and trials
Deciding impartially
Sentencing criminal defendants
Terminating parental rights
The instructors also include professionals in charge of judicial selection and experts on judicial election campaigns.
One of the goals for the Academy is to increase diversity in the judiciary, so applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Judicial Academy alumni on the bench
Judge Olga Álvarez ’19, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
Associate Justice José Scher Castillo ’19, California Court of Appeal
Judge Jaime Hawk ’19, Superior Court of King County, Washington
Judge Marie Avery Moses ’19, 2nd Judicial District Court of Denver, Colorado
Judge Patrice “Patti” W. Oppenheim ’19, 22nd Judicial District Court for St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, Louisiana
Judge Rania Rampersad ’19, East Division District Court, King County, Washington
Associate Judge Jeffrey L. Phillips ’19, Nez Perce Tribe, Nez Perce County, Idaho
Judge Lorrie Sinclair Taylor ’19, General District Court, Loudoun County, Virginia
Judge Thanh H. Tran ’19, Circuit Court of Clackamas County, Oregon
Judge Tsering D. Cornell ’21, Superior Court of Clark County, Washington
Judge Christine J. Gonong ’21, Superior Court of Los Angeles, California
Amyra Cobb-Hampton ’21, Superior Court of Solano County, California
Judge Andrew Luxen ’21, 2nd Judicial District Court of Denver, Colorado
Judge Josh Patrick ’21, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Judge Chris Sease ’21, District Court, Rowan County, North Carolina
Judge Catherine Taylor ’21, Los Alamos County Magistrate Court, New Mexico
Judge Sherry Thompson-Taylor ’21, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
Chief Judge Natasha K. Anderson ’22, Nez Perce Tribal Court, Idaho
Commissioner Latrice A.G. Byrdsong ’22, Superior Court of Los Angeles, California
Judge Travis Fliehman ’22, Darke County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio
Judge Robert Lara ’22, Division 2, 3rd Judicial District Court of New Mexico
Judge Danna W. Nicholas ’22, Superior Court of San Diego County, California
Judge Bryan F. Clavecilla ’23, Superior Court of Orange County, California
Administrative Law Judge Heather Daly ’23, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Judge-Elect Selina Saenz ’23, 65th Judicial District Court of Texas (El Paso) (taking office January 2025)
Special Justice Kiah D. Spinks ’23, 31st District Court of Virginia
Judge-Elect Nikole Hecklinger ’23, King County Washington (taking office January 2025)
Jacqueline Smith-Tingle ’23, Virginia District 19 Magistrate
B. Ashley Andrews ’22, North Carolina, District Court Judge, 27th Judicial District
Judicial Academy Scholarships Applicants to the NJC’s annual Judicial Academy may apply for a small number of scholarships.
You may express interest in being considered for a scholarship during the online registration process.
Scholarship recipients will be selected by the NJC scholarship committee.
The College encourages diverse participants (age, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin). However, scholarships are not limited to minority applicants.
Judicial Academy In-Person Course
Offered annually in October in conjunction with our fall General Jurisdiction course.
