"It's been well documented that the partisan discord in our country followed very closely on the heels of schools stopping to teach civics education." – Justice Sonya Sotomayor
"It's important if we the people are going to run our government, that we know what it is, how it works, and how we can participate in it." – Justice Neil Gorsuch

Knowledge is power and informed citizens are empowered citizens. However, many people know very little about our state and federal government. For example:

Studies have also shown that citizens who study civics – how government works – are also more likely to be civil and discuss issues in a respectful manner. This is greatly needed now, at a time when discourse often leads to personal attacks.

The New Jersey State Bar Association and New Jersey Judiciary created a partnership to foster a better public understanding of civics and the essential role the courts play in a vibrant democracy. The program is called the Benchmarks Civics Project. The project aims to inform the public about the way the courts work; what it means to be a citizen; and the importance of an independent, fair and impartial justice system.

The program is open to all members of the legal profession and all are welcome to fully participate in this fun and interactive program. Additionally, through the project, lawyers and judges will receive ethics/professionalism continuing legal education credits (CLE) when they attend a training session about speaking on civics issues to community groups. Once trained, attorneys who go out and speak with those groups can earn additional ethics/professionalism CLE credits. It’s a great way to make contact with the public and to educate our friends, neighbors and community members to that they can be more active and engaged citizens.

Benchmarks is enjoyable and not political. This isn’t a lecture, but a creative program that will educate, inform and empower.