Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law

About the Prize

The Susan and Carl Bolch Jr. Prize for the Rule of Law 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.

By honoring those who do this work, the Bolch Prize draws attention to the ideals of justice and judicial independence and to the constitutional structures and safeguards that undergird a free society.

The Prize is awarded in accordance with the Bolch Judicial Institute’s founding documents, which specify it “shall be given by the Bolch Judicial Institute to recognize the lifetime achievement of an individual or a single or series of acts of an individual or an organization creating, promoting, or preserving the importance of the rule of law nationally or internationally.”

The recipient is selected by the Bolch Judicial Institute’s Advisory Board and honored during a ceremony. The Prize includes a custom artwork and a significant monetary award. The first prize was awarded on April 11, 2019, to Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy (retired) at a ceremony held on Duke University’s campus.

Hon. David F. Levi

Dean Emeritus, Duke Law School, and Founding Director, Bolch Judicial Institute

David F. Levi, president of the American Law Institute and founding director of the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School, was recognized for his lifelong commitment to strengthening the rule of law and the institutions that sustain it.

Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani

The 21st Chief Justice of Pakistan

Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, the 21st Chief Justice of Pakistan, was recognized for his extraordinary contributions to advancing gender equality, religious liberty, and judicial independence in South Asia and globally.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (Sept. 25, 1981 – Jan. 31, 2006)

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman justice of the United States Supreme Court, was recognized for her pathbreaking career in law and public service and her foundational work advancing civics education.

International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ)

The International Association of Women Judges was recognized for its remarkable efforts to evacuate, support, and resettle Afghan women judges who faced persecution and violence after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

Judge J. Clifford Wallace

Chief Judge Emeritus of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Judge J. Clifford Wallace, chief judge emeritus of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, was recognized for more than 50 years of service to the federal courts and his global work to strengthen judicial administration and the rule of law.

Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall

Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (retired)

Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, retired chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, was recognized for her lifelong commitment to equal justice, judicial transparency, and a more accountable judiciary.

Justice Dikgang Moseneke

Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa (retired)

Justice Dikgang Moseneke, retired deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, was recognized for his influential jurisprudence, lifelong advocacy for human rights, and commitment to strengthening democracy and the rule of law in post-apartheid South Africa.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (retired)

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, retired associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, was recognized for more than four decades of service on the federal bench and his work advancing rule of law principles and civic education in the United States and abroad.