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Our Courts Wisconsin

ourcourts  

Many of us gained our knowledge of the court system from school, from the news, or from primetime television. But our everyday exposure to the courts can sometimes be overwhelming, and leave us with more questions than answers. 

Our Courts Wisconsin will bring you the answers.

Go Behind the Bench

The Our Courts Wisconsin program offers nonpartisan informational programs to adult audiences throughout Wisconsin. Specially trained legal professionals are available to make presentations free of charge to community groups. If your organization needs an engaging expert with first-hand knowledge of the court system to provide a fun, interactive educational experience, please contact us via email at PubEdCoordinator@wisbar.org or call Katie Wilcox at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6191.

A Variety of Topics to Suit Your Needs

Community groups and organizations will be able to select a presentation from a menu of programs. A team made up of an attorney and a judge will provide the presentation, which can be adapted to the length of your meeting.

Our Courts Wisconsin Programs

Lincoln's Legacy: This essay was written by Hon. Russell E. Carparelli, a Colorado Court of Appeals judge since 2003, with the collaboration of the Colorado Judicial Commission and Our Courts Colorado. This essay shares a personal side of Abraham Lincoln and offers attendees an understanding of how Lincoln guided our nation to move closer to the ideals of equality and liberty. We do not speak of Abraham Lincoln as one of our nation’s Founders, yet we owe him an incalculable debt of gratitude for his commitment to the principles of equality and liberty stated in the Declaration of Independence and for transforming the Constitution to give those principles the power of law.

Myths and Realities in Wisconsin's Courts: This humorous presentation will help audiences understand the judicial system through excerpts from various pop culture depictions of court proceedings. The entertainment industry often presents an unrealistic and unflattering view of what happens in the courtroom, and this program aims to correct some of the misinformation. From Judge Judy to John Grisham, we’ll be separating myth from reality and learning more about the court system along the way.

Criminal Court System
The Our Courts Criminal Court System program is an entertaining, informative presentation on the ins-and-outs of the criminal court system. Each presentation highlights clips from movies and actual court cases, with attorney presenters breaking down the courtroom scenes and explaining how each one demonstrates various elements of a criminal proceeding. Criminal court can be very complex, so this presentation starts right at the beginning of a case. Presenters will first examine the arrest and gradually proceed to the sentencing, all the while relying on recent, highly publicized court cases to make the program relatable to all audiences. 

Our Courts Wisconsin Policy

Our Courts Wisconsin presentations and presenters will take no position on any court case, legislation, ballot issue, or proposed change to the court system and will not provide legal advice.

​​**The Our Courts program is funded by a generous grant from the Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, supporting law-related education and public service programs statewide.