Welcome to the Kennedy Inn of Court

Welcome to the award winning Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of the American Inns of court.

The American Inns of Court is the only nationally organized effort dedicated to improving the professionalism, civility and ethics of judges, lawyers and law students. Modeled on its English counterpart, an American Inn of Court is a nonresidential group that meets periodically to provide demonstrations and group discussions to advance and share the professionalism, civility and ethics of all its members.

The Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court was established in Sacramento following Justice Kennedy’s appointment to the United States Supreme Court. The Kennedy Inn is a unique and rewarding opportunity to meet your colleagues off the bench and away from court and the office. Members of the Inn have earned well-deserved reputations as respected leaders of the Sacramento and the greater Sacramento legal community.

Together we engage in presentations, often in the form of skits, to highlight and discuss professionalism, civility and ethics in different legal scenarios. In so doing we create an environment of excellence for the trial bar and bench in our community. I am confident that you will enjoy the company of your colleagues, the programs and the group discussions. Indeed you will find the issues and musings: provocative, inspiring and entertaining.

Please peruse our Web site for the history of our Inn and the application process. Thank you for your interest.

The American Inns of Court movement was founded over two decades ago in response to then Chief Justice Warren Burger’s critiques of the trial bar. While Justice Kennedy was still sitting on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, he expressed an interest in organizing an American Inn of Court centered at Pacific McGeorge School of Law. He, Dean Gordon Schaber and U.S. District Judge Milton Schwartz began the effort to form this Inn.

Service in the Inn involves participating in eight monthly dinner/program meetings a year. A team comprised of a judge, lawyers and law students presents one program each year following a social and dinner hour.

With Warmest Regards,
Judge Kevin Culhane, President
Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court