State Court Clerkships
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Hiring Info
To locate judge and court specific hiring information, please visit the Jobs and Resumes section of CareerLink and search for position type "Judicial Clerkships."
The Vermont Guide
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Password: bridge
Timing information listed can be too general. Confirm requirements and deadlines by calling chambers directly and contacting OCPD.
State Court Clerkships: Application Timing
The timing for state court clerkships varies by state and is less standardized than for the federal courts.
States on Federal Plan Timing
Some state judges and courts conform to the federal plan and begin accepting applications in September of the students' third year for clerkships for the following year.
States NOT on Federal Plan Timing
Some state judges and courts accept applications earlier (i.e., during the spring semester of students' second year or the summer before students' third year).
Steps for Researching State Court Clerkships
- Find out about the state's court structure by looking at charts provided in BNA Directory of State and Federal Courts and Want's Federal-State Directory. The American Bench also explains the jurisdiction of the various courts within each state.
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Research judges and courts on CareerLink.
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For judges and courts not listed on CareerLink, use The Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures (The Vermont Guide) to locate general application procedures and timelines.
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Some state court websites contain clerkship hiring information and/or contact information for judges and courts. Go to the National Center for State Courts for links to these websites.
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If the above resources fail to answer your questions, it is acceptable to call chambers or the court with inquiries about application timing and requirements. The following resources provide contact and biographical information for state court judges:
- Judicial Yellow Book: Appellate court judges.
- BNA Directory of State and Federal Courts: Appellate court and general trial court judges.
- The American Bench: All state court judges, including judges for the trial courts of limited jurisdiction.
- For further resources, click here.
Office of Career & Professional Development • American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 122 Washington, DC 20016 • 202-274-4090 F: 202-274-4090