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State Bar of Montana's
About Us
Publications
Speakers Bureau
Lesson Materials
Events
About us
The Law Related Education Committee of the State Bar of Montana provides public information and education about the importance of the rule of law in a civilized society, the legal rights and responsibilities of an individual, and the workings of the legal system.
The committee created and maintains the Law Related Education Center to:
· Coordinate law related education events
· Produce original educational materials to inform Montanans about the legal system
· Make law related education curriculum materials and other teaching resources available to educators
· Facilitate educational outreach by legal professionals who wish to improve Montanans’ understanding of the role of attorneys and the judiciary
· Distribute educational materials and disseminate information about law related education activities
· Promote the concept of law-related education
· Support Youth Justice programs and other civil/legal education activities
· Foster statewide cooperation among all those involved in law related education.
Publications
The Law Related Education Center has produced a few of its own materials for distribution:
· The Montana Student’s Guide to Turning 18 – A booklet on legal aspects of different subjects that are could be approached by a person after they turn 18. Some subjects the book provides insight on are: Getting Arrested and the Criminal Court, Consumer Protection, Taxes, Housing, Driving Under the influence, Tribal Laws, and voting, just to name a few.
· The Montana Citizen’s Guide to the Courts- The Guide to the Courts provides insight in to the Judicial system, from the local courts to the U.S. Supreme Court including tribal courts, water courts, bankruptcy courts, and information on attorneys, judges, and Montana’s Self-Help Law Program.
All of our publications can be sent to you in paper or CD-ROM format for a nominal cost. They can also be downloaded in pdf format for free using the links above.
Speakers Bureau
Bringing lawyers, judges and other law professionals into Montana's classrooms.
If you are planning an event or are looking for a law related speaker for your community event or classroom, we can help you find the right person for your organization. No matter where you live in Montana, we can serve as a bridge between you and the attorney. We provide unique educational opportunities for all of Montanans.
To have a law professional make a presentation to your classroom or civic group, free of charge, please contact us.
IMPORTANT: Judges, lawyers, and other law professionals who would like to join the ranks of those who have already volunteered to serve as speakers, call or email us. Please know that all Speakers Bureau volunteers' names will be kept private. By signing up to volunteer as a classroom speaker, you consent to being contacted from time to time by the Law-Related Education Center with an invitation to appear at a school convenient to you. Please know that at no time will your name or contact information be published for general viewing or given directly to schools or other groups prior to your agreeing to accept a particular invitation.
Lesson Materials
We believe it is very important for the citizens of Montana to be educated on the workings of their government, especially the judicial branch.
We provide free resources from a library of materials we have either developed or collected throughout Montana and across the country. The library consists of pamphlets, DVDs, textbooks, and PDFs of many materials you might be looking for.
The links below catalog multiple lesson plans for each of the indicated age groups. These particular lessons come from many different national law-related education focused organizations. The links provided are by no means the only lesson materials available for a particular age group or concerning any one particluar subject. The lessons linked here were selected for quality, diversity of subject area, and for ease of use by teachers and volunteers. If you would like assistance in finding classroom materials not listed covered in the categories below, or if you know of web-based materials that would make a nice addition to this collection please contact the Law Related Education Center.
Collected Lessons for Grades 4-6
Collected Lessons for Grades 7-9
Collected Lessons for High Schools
Pre-Prepared Mock Trials
* Due Process: Yertle the Turtle Mock Trial (Grades 4-6)
In the event you have mock trial or other materials you think should be added to this section, or if you cannot find something to suit your lesson plan needs at this site, then please contact the Law-Related Education Center. The Center's Direct number is (406) 447-2213. We hope to hear from you.
Events
Law Day - May 1
Planning for a good Law Day cannot start too early. Please contact the Law-Related Education Center if you find yourself in need of classroom materials or would like to arrange to have a guest speaker to mark the occasion.
The Law Day 2011 theme is, "The Legacy of John Adams, From Boston to Guantanamo" The following is a direct link to Law Day information at the American Bar Association's website: Law Day 2011
Constitution Day - September 17
Constitution Day, once known as Citizenship Day, is celebrated on September 17 of each year in honor of the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. In 2004, Congress mandated that all schools receiving federal funding should celebrate Constitution Day through educational programs pertaining to citizenship and the U.S. Constitution.
The following are links to sites that provide activities, lesson plans, and other teaching materials to help educators celebrate Constitution Day in their classrooms:
Bill of Rights Institute
U.S. National Archives
National Endowment for the Humanities
Constitution Facts.com
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Our purpose:
To help teach Montanans how the legal system works, the roles of lawyers and judges, and the importance of jury duty.
To provide access to law-related curriculum materials to Montana teachers, lawyers, judges and other community leaders for presentation to classrooms and civic groups.
To provide local lawyers and judges as speakers on law-related topics.
To foster statewide cooperation among all people involved in law-related education.
To coordinate law-related education events such as Law Day and Constitution Day, among others.
The Committee:
Brenda Wahler (Chair), Helena
Kimberly Dudik, Missoula
Joan Jonkel, Missoula
Lisa Jackson, Helena
Molly Reader, Bozeman
Richard Volinkaty, MissoulaRonald Youde, Billings
Joe Sullivan, Great Falls
Contact us:
Brendan Kelley, coordinator
Law-Related Education Center
The State Bar of Montana
P.O. Box 577
Helena MT 59624
406.447.2213
Law-related education groups:
Law Education & Information Committee, State Bar of Montana
American Bar Association National Law-Related Education Resource Center
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
Center for Civic Education
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Bill of Rights in Action- Constitutional Rights Foundation newsletter
Street Law, Inc.
Phi Alpha Delta
Youth for Justice
Center for Education in Law & Democracy
Civitas International
Close Up Foundation
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We welcome: 
