70,000 have visited the Judicial Learning Center. Have you?

The Colorado Judicial Learning has hosted thousands of school children and delegations from around the world since opening three years ago.

 

By JAMES CARLSON

 

Have you checked out the Colorado Judicial Learning Center yet? If not, you're behind tens of thousands of Coloradoans, a group of Mexican prosecutors and even a delegation from Macedonia.

 

Since opening in the spring of 2013, the Learning Center has hosted roughly 70,000 visitors, from school groups to international officials. That's more than 1,600 per month. In a grand courthouse filled with beautiful art and architecture, the coolest part might be this small gem tucked in the atrium of the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center.

 

"There's nothing like this in the country," said Chris Hudson, Supervising Law Librarian at the Colorado Supreme Court Library.

 

Visitors can view a short film in an ultra-wide-screen theater demonstrating how America’s laws guarantee our freedom and what life would be like without those rules. (The movie includes some choice clips from Animal House and My Cousin Vinny.) There’s also a kiosk allowing visitors to listen and watch judges talk about their experiences. Judge Terry Fox of the Colorado Court of Appeals offers a particularly inspirational tale of her journey from immigrating to the country as a child to discovering a joy of the law.

 

The center has drawn interest locally and internationally.  Around 400 people, many Colorado school children, go on a library led tour of the center every month. An additional 1,600 people visit the center on their own time. Outside of the area, Wyoming officials have visited multiple times as they contemplate a similar space for their state supreme court building. The center has been a stop for contingents from Bulgaria and Mexico. A group from Macedonia were studying the concept and considering replicating it back home.

 

Meanwhile, the center is changing as well. The already high-tech center will be enhanced soon by a Jeopardy-like touchscreen game about the Constitution.

 

"There's no moss growing on this rock" said Dan Cordova, the Colorado Supreme Court Librarian.

 

James Carlson is the Information Resources Coordinator for the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.