A 2023 Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey found that about 20 percent of Americans could not name any of the three branches of the U.S. government, and the majority of Americans could not name all the rights protected under the First Amendment. We all need to do more to support civic literacy and engagement in our country. Idaho’s Law Related Education (LRE) is one way to address this need in our state.

The goal of Law Related Education is to provide quality civic education materials and programming that enhances public understanding of the law and our legal system. Idaho’s Law Related Education serves learners of all ages in all Idaho communities, with a focus on students and teachers in middle and high school settings. Each year, approximately 3,000 Idahoans are the beneficiaries of Law Related Education services.

Law Related Education Activities

Started in 1985 as a public service program of the Idaho Law Foundation, Idaho’s Law Related Education program helps build positive relationships among educators, students, and legal professionals. LRE’s current program offerings are detailed below.

High School Mock Trial

Idaho’s mock trial competition is a hands-on activity for high school students. Teams of six to nine students collaborate with attorney/teacher coaches to prepare a hypothetical legal case. During competitions, mock trial teams present their cases in front of a panel of judges and jury members. From opening statements through closing arguments, each team has its own attorneys and witnesses and must be prepared to try both sides of a case.

As part of mock trial, LRE sponsors courtroom artist and journalist contests. The courtroom artist contest allows artistically talented students to observe trials and submit sketches that depict actual courtroom scenes. Courtroom journalists experience a trial from the perspective of a news reporter reporting on a case and submitting an article depicting the trial they observe. LRE piloted the courtroom journalist contest in 2025, and Idaho’s winning journalist placed third in the national courtroom journalist contest.

Last year, the number of teams participating in mock trial increased from 30 to 41 and the number of students from 328 to 471. The number of courtroom artists increased from 12 to 16, and five courtroom journalists participated in our pilot courtroom journalist contest. We recruited 230 teachers, judges, attorneys, and other community leaders who donated their time to serve as mock trial coaches, advisors, judges, and competition staff.

18 in Idaho Publication and Website

Idaho’s 18 in Idaho publication helps young people understand their rights and responsibilities as they reach the age of majority. The publication is offered free of charge to Idaho schools and community organizations. An introductory lesson has been developed in conjunction with the publication and LRE recruits attorneys to visit classrooms and speak to students about the contents of the publication. Additionally, there is a companion website that houses the contents of the publication in an online format. Over the last 13 years, Law Related Education has distributed over 100,000 copies of the publication.

Constitution Day

Constitution Day is a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. A law establishing the present holiday was created in 2004 and mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming about the Constitution.

To celebrate Constitution Day, the Law Related Education Program and Attorneys for Civic Education have partnered to offer an annual educational event, welcoming distinguished attorneys for in-depth discussions covering important and currently relevant Constitutional topics.

Our Constitution Day offers a unique model, holding an event that offers professional development for attorneys but is also engaging and relevant for secondary and college students as well as members of the public. Additionally, we ensure that the program reaches not just a local but a statewide audience. By offering our Constitution Day event in person, through livestreaming, and through on-demand video that can be accessed at a later date, the event is open to people in all parts of Idaho.

What’s New for 2026?

Starting in 2026, Law Related Education will integrate the projects listed below into our program offerings.

Law Day Podcast Contest

This year, LRE will revive the annual Law Day Podcast Contest, open to students in grades nine to 12 who research, script, and produce a short podcast (6–12 minutes) exploring the ABA Law Day theme, which for 2026 is “The Rule of Law & the American Dream”. The top three entries receive cash prizes, along with a matching cash prize for the winning student’s teacher.

This contest is a ready-made way to build civic research, communication, and media production skills. To make participation easy, LRE provides curriculum guides and step-by-step podcast development and production resources. We can also work with attorneys to conduct classroom visits to discuss the legal aspects of the theme.

Tents to Towers Curriculum

Tents to Towers: A History of the Practice of Law in Idaho is a book written by a group of volunteers as part of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Idaho State Bar. The book covers Idaho’s law practice from the Territorial phase of history starting in 1860, all the way through the present. As part of the project, Law Related Education will spearhead an effort to distribute copies of the book to Idaho schools and libraries and develop a curriculum to accompany the book.

Middle School Mock Trial

Middle school mock trial combines students’ love of argument with an appreciation of good books. Case materials are literature-based, constructed from books most commonly read in the middle grades. Students prepare both a prosecution and a defense legal case and try their cases as part of a showcase in real courtrooms in front of a presiding judge and a panel of jurors.

Seniors & the Law

Idaho Seniors & the Law builds on the educational success of 18 in Idaho, expanding it to a new target audience. Topics for the publication include retirement, housing, medical, wills and probate, consumer law, and driving. The publication is being finalized now and will be printed by the end of 2026.

Given the fundamental place of the legal system as part of American civic life, it is critical for young people to know how our legal system functions, how law affects them, and in turn, how they can have an impact on the legal system. Participation in Law Related Education activities provides increased opportunities to examine the legal process and current legal issues while developing important critical thinking, research, and presentation skills.

Of course, we can’t do this work without volunteers and donors who support us. For more information about how you can help Law Related Education in Idaho, contact Carey Shoufler at cshoufler@isb.idaho.gov.

For 35 years, Carey Shoufler has worked in education in an array of settings. In her current role, Carey has spent the last 20 years working as the Law Related Education Director for the Idaho Law Foundation.

Carey utilizes her experience as an educator to provide leadership and management for a statewide civic education program. She obtained her bachelor’s degrees in English literature from Mills College in Oakland, California, and her master’s degree in instructional design from Boise State University.

A native Idahoan, Carey returned to Boise in 1999 after working for 13 years as a teacher and educational administrator in Boston. When not working, Carey likes to walk her dogs, knit, read, bake pies, and spend time with her grandchildren.