Civic Education

Book detailing 5 fights for democracy is among 2025 Silver Gavel Award winners

A new book about assaults on democracy by past American presidents is among the recipients of this year’s Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts. The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It, written by Brown University professor Corey Brettschneider, took home the top prize in the books category.

May 14, 2025 11:00 AM CDT

9 in 10 Americans think government branches should be equal, ABA poll finds

Most Americans believe in the U.S. Constitution’s balance of powers, but a significant percentage of Americans want one branch of government to have more power than the others, according to the seventh ABA Survey of Civic Literacy.

Apr 29, 2025 11:17 AM CDT

Long-running Law Day program brings students to Yosemite National Park

For the past 12 years, students in east central California have come together to celebrate Law Day in Yosemite National Park. “It’s really cool to bring them in, show them they’re important, teach them something about civics and let them see the beautiful park,” Douglas Gordon, the co-chair of Yosemite Law Day, says.

Apr 23, 2025 10:00 AM CDT

ABA Day 2025: Advocacy for every lawyer, everywhere

For decades, ABA Day has brought together legal professionals from across the country to advocate for critical issues affecting the legal profession and access to justice. In 2025, we are expanding this tradition to ensure that every lawyer—whether in Washington, online, or at home—can play an active role in shaping the future of the law.

Mar 20, 2025 3:00 PM CDT

Better education can combat discrimination against Jewish community, ABA House says

The ABA House of Delegates on Monday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution urging K-12 public schools and teachers to provide age-appropriate Holocaust and antisemitism education to their students.

Feb 3, 2025 4:15 PM CST

Danger of doxing for governmental officials has to be addressed, says ABA House

Government entities should adopt legislation and policies to prevent the disclosure of personally identifiable information of active and former officials and employees as well as the family members who live in their homes, the ABA House of Delegates says.

Feb 3, 2025 12:10 PM CST

Our Inheritance

There is a lot of talk about democracy these days, but there is not nearly enough understanding of its vital importance. How it works and should work. Why it matters. You’d be surprised at what’s not covered in school. But it is more than the responsibility of schools—it is a challenge for our profession. It’s up to us to make sure the knowledge stays fresh, the experience is not forgotten and the handwritten notes are still read.

Feb 1, 2025 2:10 AM CST

Federal judge acknowledges his civics presentations to politically affiliated club violated ethics code

The judicial council of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Denver has tossed an ethics complaint against a federal judge who took corrective action after he was accused of giving presentations to a politically affiliated group.

Jan 7, 2025 8:47 AM CST

Americans’ confidence in courts hits all-time low; did Trump cases have bipartisan impact?

Americans’ confidence in the courts hit an all-time low of 35% in 2024, a decrease of 24 percentage points in four years, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Dec 18, 2024 10:25 AM CST

ABA’s Impact: Confronting anti-Asian bias through civics education

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic created a wave of anti-Asian harassment in the United States. The number of incidents increased so sharply that in May 2021, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law with a special emphasis on protecting Asian Americans.

Nov 27, 2024 11:15 AM CST

Poll: Americans favor Supreme Court term limits, oppose more justices

About two-thirds of Americans support imposing term limits on Supreme Court justices, but only 3 in 10 back expanding the size of the court. The Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey also found that 69% of Americans believe there should be a mandatory retirement age for the justices.

Sep 13, 2024 11:23 AM CDT

‘We are in the storm,’ warns ABA President Mary Smith

ABA President Mary Smith warned of upcoming threats to democracy and urged the protection of American democracy during the 2024 ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Aug 5, 2024 1:05 PM CDT

Lawyers must protect democracy now

We are at a defining moment in our country. Over the last four years—most strikingly on Jan. 6, 2021—we have seen violent attacks on our democratic institutions. Make no mistake, we are facing a concerted, strategic campaign to destabilize the electoral process and disenfranchise voters. Threats to public officials and their families have skyrocketed, with threats to federal judges jumping 150% from five years ago.

Aug 1, 2024 2:40 AM CDT

‘United We Stand’: Lawyers must play crucial role in bringing our nation together

Unity is strength. The wisdom of that truth has been known since ancient times as reflected in Greek fables, such as Aesop's tales about The Four Oxen and the Lion and The Bundle of Sticks, and Chinese stories, such as The Five Chinese Brothers.

Jul 2, 2024 2:04 PM CDT

Nearly three-quarters of Americans think US democracy is getting weaker, ABA poll finds

Seventy-four percent of U.S. residents say American democracy is weaker than five years ago, according to an ABA poll released in advance of Law Day on May 1.

Apr 23, 2024 11:35 AM CDT