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INCREASE IN GRANT APPLICATIONS MAY LIMIT 

SJI-FUNDED PROJECTS IN FY 2010 

SJI received 30 grant applications requesting a total of $1,720,544 for the 1st quarter of FY 2010. The amount 

requested is double the amount normally requested during a given quarter, and historically SJI receives the least 

amount of grant applications in 1st quarter of the fiscal year. There may be several reasons why grant 

applications have increased: 1) the state courts are dealing with severe budget constraints, and need financial 

assistance in order to conduct critical projects; 2) SJI increased the amount available for Technical Assistance 

(TA) and Curriculum Adaptation and Training (CAT) grants. TA Grants were increased from $30,000 to 

$50,000, and CAT Grants were increased from $20,000 to $30,000. This has provided more flexibility to the 

state courts to conduct larger projects; and 3) SJI has increased its visibility with the state courts through 

outreach, which combined with limited federal funds for the state courts in general, has led to an increase in 

applications. 

While SJI is excited about the sharp increase in grant applications, we anticipate an appropriation of 

approximately $5,000,000 for FY 2010; which means that there will be limited grant funding available in 

FY 2010. SJI reviews all grant applications on competitive basis and does not allocate grant funding by quarter. 

If grant applications continue to be received at this level, SJI will likely be limited in grant funding by the 3rd

and 4th quarters. Therefore, potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their grant applications as 

soon as possible, since SJI is now on a first-come, first-served, basis for grant applications that merit 

funding. 

The Board will meet on December 11, 2009, to make decisions on grant awards for the 1st quarter. The results 

of this Board meeting will be available the following week. 

New Course on Intimate Partner Sexual FY 2010 Grant Guideline Now Available 3

Abuse Available for Judges 2, 3

Inside

Status of FY 2010 Appropriations 3
NEW COURSE ON INTIMATE PARTNER SEXUAL ABUSE 

AVAILABLE FOR JUDGES 

Sexual abuse is far more prevalent in cases involving other forms of intimate partner violence than is generally 

recognized. Recent research with battered women reveals that intimate partner sexual abuse is a hidden but 

frequent aspect of family violence with significant implications for the courts. Legal Momentum’s National 

Judicial Education Program has recently released an online course that provides education on this issue. The 

SJI-supported course (SJI-04-N-045), is a comprehensive educational resource about the nature, prevalence, and 

impact of intimate partner sexual abuse, and is intended to inform courts' response to this issue. The course has 

the following overarching goals: 

3⁄4 Familiarize judges with the characteristics and dynamics of intimate partner sexual abuse and the 

implications for civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate courts; 

3⁄4 Demonstrate the importance of including intimate partner sexual abuse in assessing risk to protect 

victims, their children and the community; 

3⁄4 Review the historical foundations, evolving law and currently emerging legal framework for 

adjudicating intimate partner sexual abuse; 

3⁄4 Provide judges with the practices and tools courts may use pre- and post- adjudication to identify 

intimate partner sexual abuse, assess risk and protect victims, their children and others; 

3⁄4 Provide judges with the practices and tools course may use to seat an unbiased jury in intimate partner 

sexual abuse cases; 

3⁄4 Enable judges to apply the rules of evidence in intimate partner sexual abuse cases; 

3⁄4 Support the crafting of comprehensive dispositions in civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate cases 

involving intimate partner sexual abuse; 

3⁄4 Enable judges to assess the capability of batterer intervention and sex offender programs to address 

intimate partner sexual abuse and determine appropriate sanctions and treatment for offenders; 

3⁄4 Demonstrate how, within the code of judicial conduct, judges can be leaders in developing an effective 

justice system and community response to intimate partner sexual abuse. 

The course was researched and written by the National Judicial Education Program to Promote Equality for 

Women and Men in the Courts, a project of Legal Momentum in cooperation with the National Association of 

Women Judges. Web-based instructional course design, web design and programming, and the New Mexico 

state-specific materials were provided by the Rozier E. Sanchez Judicial Education Center of New Mexico 

Institute of Public Law at the University of New Mexico Law School. (continued on page 3)

Page 2 E-SJI News – Vol. 20, No. 2 
Board of Directors

Chairman

Robert A. Miller 

Chief Justice (Ret.) 

Supreme Court of South Dakota 

Pierre, SD 

Vice Chairman

Joseph F. Baca 

Chief Justice (Ret.) 

New Mexico Supreme Court 

Santa Fe, NM 

Secretary

Sandra A. O’Connor 

States Attorney of Baltimore 

County (Ret.) 

Towson, MD 

Executive Committee Member

Keith McNamara, Esq. 

McNamara & McNamara 

Columbus, OH 

Terrence B. Adamson, Esq. 

Executive Vice-President 

The National Geographic Society 

Robert N. Baldwin 

Executive Vice President and 

General Counsel 

National Center for State Courts 

Sophia H. Hall 

Administrative Presiding Judge 

Circuit Court of Cook County 

Chicago, IL 

Tommy Jewell 

Presiding Children’s Court Judge 

(Ret.) 

Second Judicial District Court 

Albuquerque, NM 

Arthur A. McGiverin 

Chief Justice (Ret.) 

Supreme Court of Iowa 

Des Moines, IA 

Janice Munsterman 

Executive Director 

Jonathan Mattiello 

Deputy Director 

The State Justice Institute is a 

private, non-profit corporation 

established by Federal law in 1984 

to improve the quality of justice in 

state courts, and foster innovative, 

efficient solutions to common 

issues faced by all courts. SJI is 

governed by a Board of Directors 

appointed by the President and 

confirmed by the Senate. 

The web course is currently listed in the new Georgia Domestic Violence 

Benchbook, and course completion will count as education credit for Superior 

and State Court Judges in Georgia. In addition, the course is required reading 

at the Louisiana State University School of Social Work. 

The course is available online: www.njep-ipsacourse.org. 

FY 2010 GRANT GUIDELINE NOW AVAILABLE 

On October 16, 2009, the FY 2010 SJI Grant Guideline was published in the 

Federal Register. The Guideline sets forth the administrative, programmatic, 

and financial requirements for FY 2010 grants and scholarships. A PDF 

version of the Guideline is available for download on the SJI website: 

http://www.sji.gov/PDF/Grant_Guideline_FY_2010.pdf

STATUS OF APPROPRIATIONS 

On June 18, 2009, the House passed the Commerce, Justice, Science and 

Related Agencies (CJS) Bill (H.R. 2847), providing appropriations for FY 

2010. SJI received its full request of $5,131,000, as proposed in the 

President’s Budget. The Senate passed its version of the CJS Bill on 

November 5, 2009. The Senate mark includes $5,000,000 for SJI. Since the 

CJS Bill has yet to be finalized, SJI is currently operating on a Continuing 

Resolution (CR) that expires on December 18, 2009. Any new grants or 

scholarships approved by the Board during the 1st Quarter of FY 2010 will not 

be awarded until the final appropriation is available. SJI will provide updates 

as the FY 2010 appropriations process continues to move forward. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT 

3⁄4 Next grant and scholarship application deadline: February 1, 2010 

(2nd Quarter, FY 2010). 

Page 3 E-SJI News – Vol. 20, No. 2