Idaho Law Foundation

Citizens' Law Academy 2012

The Citizens' Law Academy (CLA) is an adult public information program of the Idaho State Bar. It is supported by the Idaho District Bar Associations and the U.S. Federal Courts Community Outreach grants. In 2000, CLA was implemented in 4th District to create an educational interaction between the public and the legal community. It evolved into a multi-week program to educate the public to:

Understand the laws effecting their daily lives, and their rights under the law

Understand what lawyers do, how they serve the public, and how problems are resolved in the profession;

Understand how the judicial system works;

Learn about lawyers’ public service and pro bono work, activities that help ensure equal access under the law.

Who is Involved | How it Came About
Statewide Implementation | Upcoming Classes and Applications

Who is Involved

Practicing attorneys, judges, committee members, and staff from the Idaho State Bar/Idaho Law Foundation serve as faculty and discussion leaders for the weekly two-hour evening classes. Topics are selected by a subcommittee of the Idaho State Bar Public Information Committee (PIC). The PIC then recruits specific faculty who are experts in the topic areas to serve as instructors. Class participants are chosen from applications submitted to the Bar for consideration. 25-35 citizens are invited to participate in each session. Applicants must be 18 years of age.

How it came About

The idea was conceived in the Public Information Committee (PIC) and was modeled after the Citizens' Police Academy in Boise. The PIC and leadership of the 4th District Bar Association designed the curriculum, evaluated class materials and invited participating faculty. Class participants do not pay for the class sessions, but they are encouraged to attend each class to obtain maximum benefit from the program. All faculty, committee, and Bar staff time is contributed. The first class was held in the fall of 2000. 

Statewide Implementation

The Federal District Court for Idaho has provided grants, to be administered through the Idaho State Bar, to help District Bar Associations with their start-up costs for CLAs. With their help the 2nd District - Lewiston, 3rd District - Caldwell, 5th District - Twin Falls, 6th District - Pocatello, and 7th District - Idaho Falls, have launched, or are in the process of launching CLAs in their districts. Other financial support is administered through the district bar associations. The 4th District has conducted 13 classes and graduated over 700 students. First, Second, Sixth and Seventh Districts started their own CLA classes in 2004. They have conducted 12 sessions and graduated almost 300 students.

Upcoming Classes and Applications

2012 classes will be posted as dates and locations are determined.

1st District: (Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties)
2nd District: (Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce Counties)
3rd District: (Adams, Canyon, Gem Owyhee, Payette, and Washington Counties)
4th District: (Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties)
5th District: (Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls)
6th District: (Bannock, Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power Counties)
7th District: (Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Custer, Jefferson, Madison, Clark, Fremont, Lemhi, and Teton Counties)

Upcoming Classes
District	Application	Schedule*
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th