AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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; eighteen 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 took place April 11-12 in Atlanta, GA; The second will be held in Portland, OR on October 28-29.

Agendas:

• April 2013: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
• October 2012: University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, MN
• June 2012: Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA
• October-November 2011: James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse, Philadelphia, PA
• March 2011: Arizona State University Law School, 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
• December 2006: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
• June 2006: The DANA Center, Washington, DC