Judicial Observation and Experience (JOE) Program

The Judicial Observation and Experience (JOE) Program places students for up to two weeks in the summer with members of South Carolina’s state judiciary and federal judges. Students observe the court’s daily routine and court proceedings, and have the opportunity to discuss their observations with the judge. Judges also may ask the students to perform legal research or other work that a law clerk or court staff member might perform. Over 100 federal, circuit, family, master-in-equity, administrative and probate judges participate in the Judicial Observation and Experience program each summer. Students who complete the program receive one Rule 403 trial experience credit, which may be substituted for any one of the four trial experiences required by Rule 403, South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. Since the summer of 2006, over 1,000 students have participated in the program.