News & Events

Carl Bolch Jr., a 1967 Duke Law graduate, founder of the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School, and chairman emeritus of RaceTrac, Inc., passed away on Friday, Dec. 26. Bolch and his wife, Susan Bass Bolch, established the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law...

In a powerful New York Times video essay, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas explains how escalating political attacks are undermining public confidence in the federal judiciary and fueling threats against judges. According to Salas, when politicians dismiss courts and...

In a deeply reported Washington Post feature published November 28, 2025, retired federal and state judges warn that sustained attacks on the judiciary are weakening the foundations of American democracy and placing unprecedented strain on the rule of law. Drawing on...

Director Paul W. Grimm of the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School, a retired federal judge, said it would be highly unusual for an experienced prosecutor to fail at following basic procedural rules that govern criminal cases. He added that such lapses are “why...

The American Law Institute and the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law have released a recording of their co-hosted webinar Using Generative AI in Chambers, which originally aired on November 17, 2025. On this webinar, you’ll find judges’ reflections on how...

Presiding Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren and Paul W. Grimm explored the vital role of state courts and the evolving challenges facing the judiciary. On September 30, 2025, Presiding Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren (Duke Law ’08) of the Supreme Court of Georgia and Paul W....

On a recent episode of the Bloomberg Law podcast, Judge Paul W. Grimm (ret.), director of the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law, explains the procedural and substantive factors judges must weigh when determining a sentence. The discussion followed U.S. District...

A panel will explore the challenges to the courts’ authority from the years leading up to the Civil War through the early 20th century — and why they still matter today. On October 23, the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School will continue the Star Rule of Law...

In a Q&A published in the Practical Law Journal, a publication of Reuters, on Oct. 1, 2025, Judge Paul W. Grimm (ret.), director of the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law, explains the evidentiary challenges courts face with the rise of AI. He distinguishes...