Secret Training for Judges

July 6, 2005 permalink

Family law critics have long claimed that Canadian family law judges receive secret training. Now there is indirect confirmation. An American critic has obtained a copy of the "California Judges Benchguide". Interspersed between recitations of the law are a number of notes called "JUDICIAL TIP". These advise judges on, among other things, how to make findings that will get the state the most funding from the federal government. In Canada, do judges make findings on the basis of the facts, or on the requirement to get the most funding?

The manual, dated 2003 and 2004, was copied photographically, so it is 45 megabytes, too big for this website. Commentary, and links to the manual, are at The Sociology Center by James Roger Brown.