The American judicial system today operates in a complex environment of legal principle, political pressure, and media coverage. The separate elements of this complex environment are typically studied by different groups of individuals working from different perspectives. Law faculty tend to focus on legal principle; political scientists examine the influence of politics; and scholars of public communications assess the media.

The goal of this lecture series is to serve as an introduction to the court system and its environment as a single, integrated subject of study. In the past, the lecture series featured sitting judges, practicing lawyers, and working journalists.

Coming in spring semester of 2010, IJPM will begin it's third lecture series in conjunction with the Law, Politics, and the Media course offered at the College of Law.  To see the syllabus for the spring 2009 course, which includes a list of speakers for the course, click here.