Established in 2018 with a $10 million gift from Carl Bolch Jr. and Susan Bass Bolch, the Institute provides unique educational opportunities for sitting judges in the United States and around the globe; conducts research and supports teaching and scholarship; and develops civic education initiatives to advance its mission.
Among the Institute’s flagship programs are the Master’s in Judicial Studies LLM program, established at Duke Law in 2011 with a $5 million grant from The Duke Endowment; Judicature, Duke’s scholarly journal on judging; a conference series that brings together lawyers, judges, and scholars to examine challenges and develop solutions for improving and advancing the administration of justice; and the Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law, which is awarded annually to an individual or organization who has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the rule of law and advancing rule of law principles around the world.