Scholarship opportunity!!

Contest rules, entry instructions and other information can be found at www.ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest.  

Informational Flyer

Entries accepted beginning November 23, 2020. Deadline for entries is 11:59pm (PST) on December 7, 2020.

Contest Flyer

Contest Rules

Release Form

In October our District recorded webinar style interviews with representatives from several government agencies. These individuals work for or with the Judiciary. They speak about their roles in a criminal case and about their respective careers.

Federal Defender (Attorney)

U.S. Attorney's Office (Prosecuter)

U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services (Probation Officer)

U.S. District Court Judge

Each webinar is 30-45 minutes in length. Recordigs will be made available upon request beginning 11/06/2020.

Teachers, please contact Jennifer Harris at Jennifer_Harris@waed.uscourts.gov to receive a link to each webinar session.

U.S. District Court Outreach Program for Middle School and High School Students

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington offers a variety of educational outreach programs for students at each of our three court locations.

The Outreach Program was developed to heighten students’ understanding of the federal courts, individual rights, jury service and to acquaint them with future career opportunities in the federal courts.

In Spokane, the standard program lasts approximately 90 minutes and includes a simulation of a criminal case (arraignment, jury selection, witness testimony, evidence presentation, and sentencing). Students actively participate in the simulation as attorneys, jurors, and witnesses. After this program, they are afforded the opportunity to engage in a question and answer session with a Federal Judge.  

In our Yakima and Richland facilities, court staff conduct a program about the court system that also includes jury service. Students meet a Federal Judge or U.S. Magistrate Judge and representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington, the United States Attorney’s Office and other agencies. As they tour the courtrooms, students are afforded the opportunity for hands-on experience with courtroom technologies. Students will learn about careers with the courts as they interact with court staff, such as court reporters and courtroom deputies.

At each of our court locations, students are welcome to sit in the courtroom galleries and observe court proceedings that are taking place on the day of their visit.  

Teachers are invited to schedule a visit in any of our three court locations: Spokane, Yakima or Richland.

Contact the Clerk’s Office to schedule a program that can be customized to fit your curriculum.

Spokane:  Jennifer Harris, 509-458-3419, Jennifer_Harris@waed.uscourts.gov
Yakima:    Pam Howard, 509-573-6606, Pam_Howard@waed.uscourts.gov
Richland:  Jennifer Harris, 509-458-3419, Jennifer_Harris@waed.uscourts.gov