The Justice Kennedy Learning Center (JKLC) is an educational hub promoting public understanding of the judicial process. The JKLC offers space for meetings and events, and audio display exhibits of historical and constitutional significance.
Mission Statement
The Justice Kennedy Learning Center serves as a public resource for civic education and the elevation of civility in public communication. The Center promotes civility and civic education through educational programs, courthouse tours, community conversations, and sponsored speakers, all with a focus on fostering respect for the rule of law in American society, developing new mechanisms for advancing positive civil discourse, and highlighting the judiciary’s role in protecting the Constitution and the civil rights of all.
Where to find us
The Justice Kennedy Learning Center is co-located with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Branch Library in the Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento.
Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse
501 I Street, Room 4-200
Sacramento, California 95814
Honoring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is one of three U.S. Supreme Court Justices in our nation’s history with close ties to the Sacramento area. Born in Sacramento on July 23, 1936, Justice Kennedy practiced law in Sacramento following his graduation from Harvard Law School. In addition to practicing law, Justice Kennedy was a professor of Constitutional Law and Comparative Free Speech at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law for more than 50 years. Justice Kennedy is McGeorge's longest-serving faculty member, teaching at the institution from 1965 to 2019.
He was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1975 and ultimately nominated by President Reagan as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, where he took his seat on February 18, 1988. Justice Kennedy fervently believes in the critical role education — especially civic education — plays in our constitutional democracy.
McGeorge and the Justice Kennedy Learning Center
In 2021, McGeorge School of Law partnered with the Justice Kennedy Learning Center (JKLC) to promote its educational outreach to citizens of all ages. This partnership has ushered in students and visitors across Northern California and the Bay Area, promoting the value of civil discourse and civic education to thousands of Californians.
McGeorge has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the Learning Center. The law school's Halbert Lincoln Collection, which includes 878 published works and 369 pieces of memorabilia, has been on display in the courthouse's spacious Library and Learning Center for two decades. The late Sherrill Halbert, a federal judge in Sacramento when the Eastern District was created, donated these materials to McGeorge in the 1980s. American historians consider it to be one of the most complete collections in the West devoted to the life of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.
Events
The Educator Seminar Series is a professional development seminar for local educators held in the Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Learning Center and at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Teachers gain knowledge of the judiciary and develop their skills to effectively teach the role and operations of the courts while meeting Common Core educational standards. Throughout the Seminar, we will use federal trials as a lens to explore the judiciary, rule of law, and U.S. Constitution throughout American history and today. This program gives participants up close access to the federal courts, judges, and legal professionals.
Goals of the program are to:
- Provide a deeper understanding of the judiciary and legal principles through careful examination of selected court cases.
- Assist with developing Common Core-aligned lesson plans.
- Introduce participants to the rich array of Learning Center resources.
Program benefits include:
- Professional development opportunities.
- Working with other interested educators.
- Small-group access to local judges, attorneys, court staff and local leaders.
- Access to primary course documents and court case briefs.
- Tours of the federal courthouse and observations of court proceedings.
Teachers are welcome to bring in students of all ages to experience the federal courthouse!
Observe a live hearing in a courtroom; hear from judges, attorneys, the U.S. Marshals Service, and law students about what makes the law so important; take a guided tour of the courthouse; or even participate in a scripted mock trial (various scripts are available depending on the students’ age). Self-guided tours are also welcome.
Please contact Rydder Kramer at rkramer@paulytheprayingpup.com for more information.
Operation Protect and Defend was designed by judges, lawyers, and educators to target under-served high school students and students most likely to benefit from additional civic and government education. Teams of attorneys and judges go into the classroom to engage in a dialogue with students about legal cases and concepts arising from a written curriculum. OPD educates future jurors and voters, encourages students to become active citizens, and increases student awareness of civic responsibility.
Program topics & participating schools
Each year, the program highlights a topic that connects students to current issues, such as:
- Due process and criminal trials
- Immigrants and the Constitution
- Constitutional rights on campus: How free?
- Student speech: How free?
- World War II Japanese internment
- Racism and lawlessness in the South
Interested in involving your school?
Contact Chi Soo Kim, Executive Chair of OPD
Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse
501 I Street, Suite 10-100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 554-2700
The U.S. Supreme Court & My Hometown is an immersive federal court program for Sacramento area high school students. Students can delve into the inner workings of the federal judiciary and the United States Supreme Court. The program is sponsored by the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, and the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society.
Program Sessions: April 14-18, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Testimonials
- “I would absolutely recommend the Hometowns program. Every time I came to this program, I just thought, 'Wow, I can’t believe this is free.' I would recommend this to anyone who would be even remotely interested in law.” - Nylah J.
- “I would not hesitate to recommend the Supreme Court and My Hometown program to a friend or classmate. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. And most of it transfers to real life. It is good to have knowledge of our government!” - Soren O.
Questions?
Contact Education Specialist Juliet Morris at jmorris@supremecourthistory.org.
Educational exhibits and programs
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Reading Corner
The Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Reading Corner is a quiet, welcoming place to learn about Justice Kennedy’s personally selected reading list called “Understanding Freedom’s Heritage: How to Keep and Defend Liberty.” His selections help bring alive key principles integral to our nation’s DNA. Although prepared for young people, this collection of books, speeches, letters, judicial writings, and important founding documents provide thought-provoking reading for people of all ages.
Instructional Programs
Instructional programs are an important aspect of the Foundation’s core, including activities to educate and train primary and secondary teachers on how to teach students about the role and importance of the judiciary in our constitutional system. The Foundation hopes to implement these activities and opportunities in partnership with national foundations.
Educational Exhibits
The Center's exhibits are a comprehensive collection of real exhibits and displays pertaining to the development of constitutional rights, the history of the Ninth Circuit, and notable cases from California's Eastern District. In addition, the Center displays artwork from local high school students about Constitutional rights.
Contact us
Email: Rydder Kramer, Program Coordinator, rkramer@paulytheprayingpup.com
Phone: (916) 739-7182
Hours
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
