July 25: International Day for Judicial Well-Being
Judicature International (2025) | An online-only publication
Above: Promotional graphic for the first International Day for Judicial Well-being (Linkedin, Judicial Well-Being)
From an ‘Unmentionable Topic’ to a Global Conversation
On July 25, the world will observe the first official International Day for Judicial Well-Being, following the adoption of a UN resolution supported by 160 member states and 70 co-sponsors. The day affirms what many courts are now acknowledging: judicial stress is real, widespread, and impacts the integrity of justice itself.
In Judicature’s forthcoming print edition, Dr. Carly Schrever — lawyer, psychologist, empirical researcher, director of Human Ethos, and member of the drafting committee behind the Nauru Declaration — traces the rise of judicial well-being as a global rule-of-law concern. Schrever explores how a once-taboo topic has emerged onto the international stage through new research, pandemic-era candor, and courageous leadership from within the judiciary.
“[J]udicial well-being is not only, or even principally, about the subjective health and happiness of judges,” writes Schrever. “It is inextricably linked to judicial integrity and the administration of justice.”
This article also includes data from recent studies, historical context, and excerpts from a roundtable discussion, previously featured in Judicature International, with global judicial leaders who helped shape the declaration. In addition to Schrever, roundtable participants included: Hon. Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, president of the Nauru Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Lynne C. Leitch, a judge of the Superior Court of Ontario and president of the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association, and Jeremy Fogel, a former federal judge and executive director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute.
Click here to read a PDF of the forthcoming article in Judicature Vol. 109 No. 1 (2025). The full edition is expected to launch online on July 24, 2025.
Upcoming Judicial Well-Being Events
JULY 23, 2025 | 2–3 PM ET
Webinar: “Wellness & the Judiciary: Global Perspectives”
This free webinar is hosted by the Federal Bar Association, in collaboration with the Federation of Municipal Judges of America (FMJA),Federal Judges Association (FJA), and National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ).
The featured speaker will be Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena. Justice Wimalasena will share the story behind the Nauru Declaration, shed light on the creation of Judicial Well‑Being Day, and present key findings from UNODC research on judicial stress and resilience.
JULY 24, 2025 | 7:00–8:00 a.m. ET
Webinar: “The Foundation for Integrity and the Rule of Law Starts Within — The Global Call for Judicial Well-Being”
Organized by the IBA Professional Wellbeing Commission and supported by the Judges’ Forum, Bar Issues Commission, Rule of Law Forum, and Legal Policy & Research Unit, this free webinar marks another global step forward following the UN’s recognition of July 25 as International Judicial Well-Being Day.
Moderator:
- Lucinda Soon, Co-Chair of the IBA Professional Wellbeing Commission and psychologist at King’s College London
Opening Remarks:
- Steven Richman, Founding Co-Chair, IBA Professional Wellbeing Commission & Chair, Bar Issues Commission Policy Committee
Featured Speakers / Panelists:
- Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, President, Nauru Court of Appeal
- Carly Schrever, psychologist and founder of Human Ethos
- Mary-Jane Ierodiaconou, associate justice on the Supreme Court of Victoria
- José Igreja Matos, judge and president of the Porto Court of Appeal and vice-president of the European Consultative Council of Judges
The discussion will explore the critical links between judicial integrity, personal resilience, and the strength of the rule of law, drawing on international research, lived experience, and practical strategies for embedding a culture of care within the judiciary. Attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance.
More information, events, and other resources can be found at judicialwellbeing.info.