U.S. District Court For the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Convenes at MBA to Establish Civics Engagement Initiatives

By Aimee L. Kumer, Esq., Chair, Federal Courts Committee

On November 1, 2022, the Montgomery Bar hosted the United State District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s Working Groups for Community Engagement. Several members of the federal and state bench, and numerous bar leaders from across the Eastern District, convened in the dining room of the Bar Building for a “working” dinner, during which information and ideas were exchanged about fostering and improving engagement with the community, and increasing community education about the role of the independent judiciary. The working groups are part of an initiative of Chief Judge Juan R. Sánchez aimed at promoting outreach to the community, by members of the bench and bar, regarding the Rule of Law and Judicial Independence. These working groups have focused their attention on three primary topics: Primary and Secondary Schools; College and Adult Education Efforts; and Jury Participation and Education.

The Primary and Secondary School Group has focused on bringing attention to and revitalizing civics education programs. Many of these programs had been thriving prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but came to a rather abrupt halt in 2020, and are only recently resuming. These programs – which often feature judges and attorneys visiting school classrooms to explain the role of the judiciary and the core principles underlying the legal system – are an important means of establishing relationships with the community and advancing civic education. During the working dinner, it was reported that the judges of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are exploring future involvement in the Advancing Civics Education program (www.ACEcivics. org), to send their judges into classrooms in Philadelphia, together with Bar members, to support civic education. They are also exploring involvement in the Law and Justice Mentoring Program through the Pepper Center for Public Service, which is aimed at connecting black, indigenous and people of color (“BIPOC”) students within the School District of Philadelphia to pre-law opportunities and mentorship. Lawyers and judges from Montgomery County and other counties outside of Philadelphia also reported on the resumption of these programs.

During the meeting, Judge Restrepo of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals also announced that the Third Circuit will continue the fifth and sixth grade essay contest, which began last year. The contest solicits essays from fifth and sixth grade classes on civics topics – this year’s topic is, “Why the Right to Vote is important to me and to our country.” The contest is open to all fifth and sixth grade classes in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each class should submit just one essay, which are due by Friday, March 31, 2023.

The College and Adult Education Working Group has focused on programs to increase civic engagement and education among college programs and adult learners, and on promoting opportunities for engagement by marginalized groups in the judicial system. This includes a mock sentencing exercise (similar to mock trials, and performed by college students); efforts to increase internship opportunities for international college students within the courts, government agencies, law firms and bar associations; and adult education efforts with community colleges, spearheaded by Judge Cynthia Rufe.

Lastly, the Jury Participation and Education Working Group has been working to develop ways to increase juror participation and engagement, and to educate jurors and their employers on the importance of jury duty and need to support jury service. Many of the impediments to juror engagement are rooted in the economics of jury service – an issue that the judiciary itself is not able to remedy directly – and as such is a complex but vitally important issue to address equal access to justice. The working groups will be continuing their work into the new year – with robust participation from the Montgomery Bar and members of its bench.