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About the JAAAIOC

Mission Statement

The Judge Advocates Association American Inns of Court (JAAAIOC) exists to foster legal excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students in the practice of military, veteran's, and national security law of the United States.

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Top Three Goals

  1. To maintain an active society of judge advocates, judges, lawyers, legal educators, law students and others, so as to promote excellence in legal advocacy in accordance with the Professional Creed of the American Inns of Court;

  2. To facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences and ongoing education among members of the Judge Advocates Association American Inn of Court, thereby maintaining an institutional forum, where members, working together, pursue the highest goals of the legal profession.

  3. To shape a culture of excellence in American jurisprudence by promoting a commitment to

  4. professionalism, ethics, civility and legal skills in the practice of law, and transmitting these values from one generation of lawyers to the next.


About JAAAIOC

The JAA American Inn of Court, affiliated with the Judge Advocates Association (JAA), brings together members of the bench, military and civilian attorneys, academicians, and law students for professional development. Each Inn session begins with an opportunity for attendees to share a collegial dinner, followed by a 60 to 90-minute presentation on topics of interest. Each season, we seek a balance of trial skills and substantive sessions in the three main areas of practice: military, veteran, and national security. Our season typically runs from September to June.


About the Judge Advocates Association

The Judge Advocates Association is a national professional society organized in 1943 by a small group of Army judge advocates in Washington, D.C. Over more than sixty years of existence, the membership has broadened and is now composed of active duty and retired judge advocates of all services as well as private practitioners with an interest in military law. The Judge Advocates Association is the only national professional legal organization exclusively dedicated to judge advocates and practitioners of military law. It is a constant voice for the community it serves. As an affiliate of the American Bar Association, the Judge Advocates Association is a member having a vote in the ABA House of Delegates and has raised many issues of concern to judge advocates and practitioners of military law.

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Non-Attribution Policy

In an effort to promote rich discussion and the free exchange of ideas, the JAA American Inn of Court adheres to a non-attribution policy. Comments made by speakers and attendees will not be attributed to them in any public forum or to any individual likely to transmit such statements to a public forum. All such comments are off the record. Our nonattribution policy protects all participants in our professional programs-speakers, members, and guests--from having their remarks and opinions quoted publicly or otherwise attributed to them without their express consent. Our policy also allows such statements to be discussed in other private settings, provided care is taken to avoid publicly identifying the speaker, and encourages speakers to be frank and candid and responsible for the substantive content of their statements.

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History of the Inn

The JAAAIOC was founded on May 24, 1993 in Washington, DC as the 207th American Inn of Court. In March of 1992, Colonel Bill Colwell (then Lieutenant Colonel Colwell) authored an article titled American Inns of Court-A Borrowed Tradition.  The article described the tradition and value of the American Inns of Court (AIOC) as a tool that unites a cross-section of the bench and bar into an educational forum that promotes professionalism in advocacy, litigation, and ethics.  On May 24 of 1993, Colonel Bill Colwell extended this valuable forum to the Judge Advocates Association (JAA) by obtaining the 207th AIOC Charter from Attorney General Janet Reno and American Inns of Court President Sherman Cohn.


Soon after its inauguration, the Judge Advocates of America American Inns of Court (JAAAIOC) took off at full throttle, quickly filling its membership roster and uniting a combination of military judges, professors, judge advocates, academicians, and students.  The Inn has covered the whole spectrum of training topics since its first meeting on January 25, 1995.  Over a decade later, the JAAAIOC is as strong as ever today, building camaraderie among the Services' JAG Corps and making significant contributions to the practice of law.

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Charter Presentation - May 24, 1993

Attorney General Janet Reno (left), and Sherman Cohn, American Inns of Court President, (center) present the JAA's Inns of Court Charter to Col Bill Colwell (right).

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Inn's First Meeting - January 25, 1995

Mike Daigneault, Col Tom Becker, and ADM Don Stumbaugh enjoy the first session of the JAAAIOC.

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