AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

Science and the Law

Judicial Seminars on Emerging Issues in Neuroscience

AAAS and its collaborators have convened seminars to inform judges of the issues they may encounter in light of new developments in neuroscience.  Selected federal and state judges have heard leading neuroscientists reflect on such topics as the neuroscience of violence and the brain, memory and lie detection, the adolescent brain, and states of consciousness.  Please see the following links for more details on specific seminars that have taken place across the country.

In July of 2009, AAAS received the 2009 Judicial Education Award from the ABA Judicial Division's National Conference of Specialized Court Judges for our judicial seminar work on emerging neuroscience issues.

This project to educate judges on advances in neuroscience has been supported by the Dana Foundation since 2006; seventeen seminars have been convened. Partnering organizations include the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association, The National Center for State Courts, and the Federal Judicial Center.

In 2013, with continuing support from the Dana Foundation, AAAS will hold two judicial seminars. The first will take place April 11-12 in Atlanta, GA; The second will be held in Portland, OR on October 28-29.

Agendas:

• October 2012: Minneapolis, MN
• June 2012: New Orleans, LA
• October-November 2011: Philadelphia, PA
• March 2011: Scottsdale, AZ
• November 2010: San Diego, CA
• September 2010: Harvard University Law School, Cambridge, MA
• June 2010: Washington University, St. Louis, MO
• October 2009: Stetson University Law School, Gulfport, FL
• July 2009: American Bar Association, Chicago, IL
• May 2009: National Judicial College, Reno, NV
• November 2008: Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC
• October 2008: Rice University, Houston, TX
• August 2008 : American Bar Association, New York, NY
• May 2008: American Bar Association, Chicago, IL
• November 2007: National Judicial College, Reno, NV | Read News Story
• December 2006: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
• June 2006: The DANA Center, Washington, DC

More Information: July 2006 News Article | January 2008 News Article | August 2009 News Article | Speaker Bios/Powerpoint Presentations provided by the National Center for State Courts