Home >> Games & Cards >> Games

Games About the Judicial System

The smartest way to learn a difficult subject is through play. Games about the judiciary encourage civic pride and give us an education about the science of law. A wealth of online and offline options exist, but different games are suited to different players. It's important to choose a game that fits your needs, increases your knowledge and provides enough pleasure to hold your interest.

History of Judiciary Games
- "Congress For Kids" has short, colorful slides of information on historical decisions and the issues surrounding the Supreme Court rulings on segregation. Click on the "Show what you know" button and reach a list of questions on landmark court decisions. Answer the questions to receive a score and advance to the next level. You can play "Argument Wars" at ICivics.com and re-argue past Supreme Court cases.
Games Offered by State Judiciaries
- Many games are actually designed and developed by state judiciaries. They aim to teach the specifics of the system to their residents and encourage an interest in local government. The "All Rise" game is funded by the Texas Bar Association and builds awareness about the Texas judiciary. The state of Connecticut offers multiple jurisprudence games on its official site--from word jumbles to courthouse jigsaw puzzles.
Games for Young Children
- It's never too early to learn. Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra O'Conner's OurCourts.org site provides a variety of activities targeted toward the youngest citizens interested in learning the basics about statues, codes and federal law. Ben's Guide to U.S. Government has games and activities separated by age groups--with plenty of print and interactive fun for children from toddler to Kindergarten on into elementary school. It doesn't go into difficult details of judicial proceedings, but rather provides an overall introduction to politics and law. It's the perfect way to start a budding young lawyer on his path to Supreme Court greatness.
Board Games
- For older players, there's plenty of good reasons to go offline. "Disorderly Conduct" is a board game that's developed a cult following. Playing cards ask legal questions on seven topics of interest--contracts, torts, property, criminal law, constitutional law, evidence and general practice. "Passing the Bar" is a popular game with law school students. The box includes a large board, pawns, dice and a two-minute timer. It was created by Caryn Pincus, a woman who was (allegedly) so frustrated with studying for the Florida Bar exam that she created a board game to make it interesting. The best place to purchase these games and others like them is online at sites like UncommonGoods.com, EBay.com and Amazon.com.

Games