Judicial History Research Guide Wins Award

The Federal Judicial Center’s Guide to Research in Federal Judicial History has been awarded the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Prize from the Society for History in the Federal Government.

The prize is awarded in even numbered years for the best reference work related to federal history. The Center’s Guide, edited by Jonathan White, describes the records of the federal courts, Congress, and the executive branch that are relevant to researching federal judicial history.

“We wanted to create a guide that informed researchers about the wealth of largely untapped archival records documenting the history of the federal courts,” said Bruce Ragsdale, director of the Center’s Federal Judicial History Office. “The guide will support judges and court staff in the development of publications and exhibits on the history of their courts, and will encourage scholars to incorporate the judiciary in histories of the federal government and the civic life of the nation.”