The rule of law and a strong legal system are the foundation of healthy, prosperous societies. The Bolch Judicial Institute studies how the rule of law is achieved, measured, and preserved in the United States and around the world. Through the annual Bolch Prize, the Institute recognizes individuals and organizations who work to sustain the rule of law.
To protect the rule of law, societies need a strong and independent judiciary. The Bolch Judicial Institute studies judges and judicial institutions, develops judicial training and educational programs, and advances law reforms that strengthen and improve the administration of justice.
Technology can help make the judiciary and the legal profession more accessible, efficient, effective, and fair. The Bolch Judicial Institute fosters programs and scholarship that improve the law through technology and educate the judiciary and legal profession on the promise and challenges of technology in the law.
The nation's only elite post-graduate degree program for federal, state, and foreign judges.
The Bolch Prize honors individuals or entities who have distinguished themselves in the preservation or advancement of the rule of law.
A scholarly journal that explores all aspects of the administration of justice, the judiciary, and the rule of law.
Practitioners, scholars, and jurists join forces to study issues, discuss ideas and develop best practices for improving the administration of justice.
Watch the full ceremony, featuring U.S. Supreme Court Justices Anthony M. Kennedy and Samuel A. Alito, Judge Allyson Duncan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and Bolch Judicial Institute Director David F. Levi. Learn more »
Carl and Susan Bolch have come to appreciate the importance of the rule of law through their travels and their work. Carl Bolch Jr. (J.D. '67) is chairman of RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. and an honorary member of Duke Law School’s Board of Visitors. Susan Bolch is an attorney who has served as general counsel of RaceTrac Petroleum and is a member of its board of directors. Learn more »
Director David F. Levi delivered the keynote address in October for the Fair and Impartial Judiciary Symposium at the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement in Philadelphia. Learn more »
Margaret Marshall, the first woman to serve as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, visited Duke Law as the Bolch Judicial Institute’s Distinguished Judge in Residence Jan. 20-22, 2020. Learn more »
The Bolch Judicial Institute was established with a generous gift from Carl Bolch Jr. and Susan Bass Bolch. Many other individuals and organizations provide critical support for our programs.
We publish Judicature, a quarterly scholarly journal about judging; a monthly newsletter with news and events from the Institute; best practices, guidelines, and scholarship; and more.
Join us! We host conferences, educational programs, and more, online, at Duke Law School, and around the country.
