LGBTQ+ Inclusion From the Bench: A Best Practices Guide for Judges is a collaborative effort by three organizations — the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges, the National Judicial College, and the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and Foundation. This Guide is designed to serve as a resource for judges seeking to build trust with the LGBTQ+ community and foster cultures of inclusivity and respect in their courtrooms. It covers a wide array of topics relating to the LGBTQ+ community, including the basics (such as key terms) and more complex legal considerations (such as case management tactics that thoughtfully consider LGBTQ+ people and experiences).
This Guide is intended to empower judges to interact mindfully and compassionately with LGBTQ+ people and their allies, ensuring that all participants in America’s court systems are treated with dignity and respect, and making justice accessible to all who seek it. In full recognition of and appreciation for judicial independence and expertise, the Guide is designed to share skills, knowledge, and processes judges may choose to adopt and inform their work. It is not designed to dictate how judges must run their courtroom or rule on matters involving LGBTQ+ individuals or issues.
Intended to be a broad guidance document spanning many diverse jurisdictions with differing laws impacting the lives, rights, and legal proceedings of LGBTQ+ people, this Guide does not include case law or statutory law related to LGBTQ+ issues. For jurisdiction-specific guidance on case law and statutory law impacting LGBTQ+ individuals, readers may reference local LGBTQ+ bench guides or reach out to their jurisdiction’s local LGBTQ+ bar association or bar section.
If readers have any suggestions for additional topics to cover in future editions of this comprehensive resource or any questions regarding the Guide, please contact the National LGBTQ+ Bar’s Advocacy Counsel, Mari Nemec, at mari@lgbtqbar.org.
The LGBTQ+ Bar would like to thank the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges and the National Judicial College for their invaluable contributions to this project.
Readers may download a PDF of the Guide using the button below or may view the Guide using the reader feature. Please note that the Guide will be updated regularly, so to utilize the most recent version readers are encouraged to return to this webpage periodically.