Welcome Students and Organizations!
Welcome to the Field Trip section of the Community Outreach Website for the Northern District of Illinois. Community outreach is important to the court. Bringing a group of students or members of your organization to the courtroom is a great way for them to learn how the federal judicial system works. By providing your group with the opportunity to witness a live court session, you will also allow your students or members of your organization to see the close collaboration and teamwork involved in the court's service to the community. Visitors will have an opportunity to witness a real court session which will surely leave an impression.
Whether the session is a status hearing, arraignment, change of plea, or possibly even a sentencing, the judge will take time after the session to address the students or members of your organization to describe what they have witnessed. Your group will then have the opportunity to ask questions of the judge. Both civil and criminal cases may be viewed by field trip visitors during the typical 2-3 hour program, which can be individually tailored for each visit.
Please see the items below, which include an invitation letter, application form, sample visit schedules, and additional educational materials to help your class prepare for their visit.
To set up a visit, teachers should fill out the “Field Trip Application Form” located in the Field Trip Welcome Letter and Application section located below. Because the courts tend to be busy, teachers should be prepared to allow several weeks of lead time when arranging a visit. Once the form is submitted, personnel in the Clerk’s Office will contact the teacher to select an appropriate date for a class visit, discuss what cases are on the docket if students wish to observe a court session, and discuss other options for the visit. A clerk will also provide important logistical information. We have provided the most common questions with answers below. Further arrangements and details should be discussed with the clerk.
No. Visits are offered free of charge.
Groups should be limited to 30 students per visit per day. We also request one chaperone per 10 students.
No. The school will need to make its own transportation arrangements.
Field trips are typically in the morning and last for 2-3 hours. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for field trip visits.
Students will typically be welcomed by the Public Services Administrator, take a tour of a courtroom, view a live court proceeding, and have a follow-up opportunity with the judge and staff.
No. However, there is a walk-through public cafeteria available on the second floor of the courthouse. The on-site cafeteria contact is Market Creations @ 312-880-0242. Click here for more information.
If this situation arises, an alternative court session will be found for the students to view.
Please see our General Educational Videos and Educational Links below for great learning resources to help prepare your students before their visit.
Visitors should dress in a manner respectful to the business of the court. All visitors, including students, should bring a Photo ID. Cameras and cell phones are allowed only with advance permission of the court. Students should single file into a courtroom and not chew gum, talk, or make faces while observing court.
The opportunity to hear from the judge is the highlight of each trip to the court and can be arranged for your group. Additional visits with other court personnel can be arranged at your request.
The best time to visit the courthouse is while the class is learning about the judicial system. Students in 7th grade or higher may benefit the most in putting their knowledge to use by observing and experiencing a court session. In particular, it may be helpful for students to learn about the structure, functions, and procedures of the court before attending. There are several links below with great educational resources to assist teachers in preparing their students.
If viewing a live court session is part of your trip, it will be beneficial for students to have an understanding of the type of court session they will be witnessing and what each party is doing. If students will converse with court personnel, it is often helpful for them to prepare questions before visiting the court. Students can write questions that relate to information they already have learned about the courts, or satisfy their curiosity about an issue they may have seen in the media or other source. Teachers may give students some guidance on their questions by providing models or steering them away from inappropriate questions. For instance, a judge will not be able to talk about a case that is currently before the court, but can answer questions about procedures that students may have seen while observing a session or how that judge worked hard to earn the position they have.
If viewing a live court session is part of your trip, it will be beneficial for students to have an understanding of the type of court session they will be witnessing and what each party is doing. If students will converse with court personnel, it is often helpful for them to prepare questions before visiting the court. Students can write questions that relate to information they already have learned about the courts, or satisfy their curiosity about an issue they may have seen in the media or other source. Teachers may give students some guidance on their questions by providing models or steering them away from inappropriate questions. For instance, a judge will not be able to talk about a case that is currently before the court, but can answer questions about procedures that students may have seen while observing a session or how that judge worked hard to earn the position they have.
If you are interested in bringing a group of students to the courthouse to learn about the federal judiciary, please see the Field Trip Welcome Letter below. Also, please fill out an application form online for electronic submission. In the alternative, you can also print this form and email it or fax per the instructions at the bottom of the form. Thank you.
Following up on a visit to the court is just as important as the preparation for the visit. Teachers should reinforce learning from the court experience through continued classroom activities on the judicial system. Whenever possible, they should refer to what students learned while at the courts to help them make connections between the court and their classroom experiences.
Pathways to the Court
To learn about the inspiring stories of three judges who sit in the Northern District of Illinois, please follow these links:
District Court Judge Virginia Kendall discusses her journey through loss and challenges on her journey to the federal bench. Judge Kendall talks about the importance of believing in herself, digging deep, and accepting the support of family and friends along the way to becoming a federal judge. Please click here to watch her story.
Retired Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys discusses how he rose from the cotton fields of Mississippi to the federal bench by educating himself, persevering and working hard. Judge Keys shares his perspectives on his life – from his time in the Marines and law school, to eventually becoming a federal magistrate judge. Judge Keys left the bench on May 30th, 2014. Please click here to watch his story.
Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez didn’t go right to college. She worked for a year – and kept working – to put herself through college and law school. She doesn’t consider her journey unusual because today’s students face many of the same challenges. Her advice? Keep going even when you don’t know if you can make it. Please click here to watch her story.
Students sound off on why the Bill of Rights is so important to them.
To learn about this important issue, please click here to watch the video.
Roles of Court Employees
These are links to videos which discuss various staff positions and their role in the federal judicial system. There are many staff members who may not work within the courtroom, but without them the court could not function. Their important roles are described in the videos below.
Case Administrator (Docket Clerk)
Case administrators are the "face" of the court to much of the public and attorneys who practice in the court. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Human Resources
The U.S. Courts' Human Resources (HR) professionals provide frontline services to the federal court workforce. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Courtroom Deputy
Courtroom Deputies assist judges in processing and managing court proceedings in an orderly fashion, and manage a judge’s caseload. Efficient court operations help create positive public impressions about our federal courts. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Court Interpreters
Language skills are prized in the federal courts. Highly qualified interpreters in court proceedings involving non-English speakers help ensure that justice is carried out fairly for defendants and other stakeholders. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Information Technology Professionals (IT)
The U.S. Courts' Information Technology (IT) professionals support the courts' extensive technology programs. They make it possible for the judiciary to deliver justice in a technology-driven environment. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Jury Administrator
A trial by peers is the basis of our judicial system. The jury administrator ensures that jury selection and management are smooth and efficient processes. Both have an important impact on public perception about jury service. To watch the video about this position, please click here.
Administrative Services
The U.S. District Courts’ Administrative Services professionals are responsible for the effective stewardship of public resources under its control. They produce management plans for monitoring various court operations, including a budget organization plan, budget spending plan, internal controls plan, etc. Administrative Services professionals are also responsible for defining procedures for making financial management decisions and producing timely financial reports. To learn more about this career, please click here.
Federal Judicial Center
This site offers reading materials to educate students about the many aspects of the federal court system. To visit this site, please click here.
Understanding the Federal Courts
This link is to the U.S. Courts website titled “Understanding the Federal Courts.” There are many sections to help educate readers about Federal Courts and their role within our National Government. To visit this site, click here.
For a 50-page PDF document titled “Understanding the Federal Courts,” please click here.
United States Courts Educational Resources
To access the Educational Resources page of the United States Courts website, please click here.