JUDICIARY AND THE ARTS – Long Island 2025-2026

The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All: Courts and the Community Initiative

Project Guidelines & Contest Rules

Thank you for your participation in Judiciary and the Arts, a project of the Hon. Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All: Courts and the Community. The Judiciary and the Arts contest is open to all Long Island high school students.

The goals of the project are to introduce students to the organization and functions of the federal judiciary, and to encourage students to learn about the historic and present-day role of the federal courts in the development of the law in the United States through the visual arts.  

Fairness and Impartiality:

It is a bedrock principle of the United States courts that they administer justice fairly and impartially.  The courts are organized so that the work of the court is done impartially and appears impartial.  In order to abide by this principle, the work of the courts is done openly and without prejudgment of the facts and legal principles that may apply or be invoked in a case.  In keeping with these practices, artwork in this project must:

  1. not address any case currently before the court or likely to come before the court in the future;
  2. be politically neutral, or in other words, not be seen to favor or disfavor any political viewpoint or party;
  3. not advocate for any particular change in the law or public policy; and
  4. not invite or endorse conduct inappropriate in a courthouse.

Projects

The project is for students to prepare artwork for one of the proposed topics listed on the following pages:

Topic:  Voices of the American Jury

Create a visual artwork that explores the history, symbolism, and societal role of the jury trial in the United States. Your piece should reflect on the jury system as a cornerstone of American democracy, a mechanism for justice, and a reflection of civic responsibility.​

  • What does justice and fairness look like to you?​
  • Why are our voices important in this process?

Resources:

Topic: Picturing Amistad: An Exploration of the Amistad Case

The Amistad case (1839-1840) centers around the capture and enslavement of over 50 Mende people from Sierra Leone who fought against their captors aboard the slave ship Amistad and ultimately ended up in court in Connecticut and finally the Supreme Court of the United States. The case was one of the first civil rights cases in US history and raised important questions about human rights, jurisdiction, and international law.

Learn about the Amistad and create a work of art inspired by the case. Students are encouraged to imagine the courtroom as an early battleground for questions of slavery and the meaning of justice in early America and create a courtroom sketch artist style drawing of the proceeding.

Second Circuit Judge Chin will be hosting a reenactment of the trial on April 16, 2026. Students are encouraged to attend this event. More information to come.

Resources:

Topic: Naturalizations – Mural Mockup

“Naturalization” is the process of becoming a United States citizen. Immigration has been an important aspect of American society since the nation’s founding. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, study the historical context and current requirements for citizenship and create a small mock-up for a mural that could be hung in a courthouse where new citizens take their Oath of Allegiance (the final step in the naturalization process).

In preparation for the creation of the mural mock-up students are encouraged to observe a naturalization ceremony.  Please email Alana Chill at alana_chill@ca2.uscourts.gov if you are interested in observing a naturalization ceremony at the Central Islip federal courthouse.

Students can also view a selection of recorded naturalization ceremonies here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuRwy07_MENyKVLmSpfxolNx05k2XTydh and a video about special naturalization ceremonies in the Second Circuit here: https://youtu.be/87B2XVLUXJg.

Resources:

Topic: America 250: Courthouses of the Past & For The Next 250 Years

Since the founding of the United States, courthouses have served as important buildings that represent civic engagement and the rule of law. Inside a courthouse disputes are settled, and justice is administered. Students should study historical courthouses and better understand the work of the judiciary as they develop their design. Students may choose to represent the structure or an ornamental element of an existing courthouse from America’s founding or create their own depiction of a courthouse that could serve the United States for the next 250 years.

The design should convey at least one aspect of the judiciary’s constitutional role, which is described by Justice For All as:

  • The federal judiciary is one of the three branches of the national government. It seeks to provide the fair and effective administration of justice for all persons and interests, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or status. Federal courts and their state court counterparts provide a means for settling disputes peacefully, and help to foster democratic governance, consistent with the Constitution’s goals of “justice” and “domestic tranquility.” Those who founded our government recognized the critical importance of an independent national judiciary with a limited but essential role.

Resources:

The project proceeds as described below:

  • Review the topics listed. If you need assistance finding additional information, please reach out to Alana Chill at alana_chill@ca2.uscourts.gov. Only materials in the public domain should be used in the artwork itself.
  • Each participating student submits a digital copy of the artwork to Alana Chill at alana_chill@ca2.uscourts.gov by April 17, 2026. All submissions must be accompanied by the submission form (Appendix A) and the media/copyright release form (Appendix B), signed by the student and a parent/guardian. The subject line of the email should read “[INSERT STUDENT LAST NAME] – Judiciary & The Arts Submission.”
  • A final exhibition and awards ceremony will be held in May 2026 at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. All participating students are invited to attend the exhibition and all submissions will be displayed, provided that the submitted artwork complies with these Guidelines. Additional details will be provided at a later date.
  • Students who wish to have their original artwork displayed (rather than a print of a digital submission) must arrange for the artwork to be shipped or delivered to the federal courthouse in Central Islip in advance of the exhibition. Additional details regarding physical submissions will be provided at a later date.
  • Some of the artwork may also be displayed, on the Justice For All website, or on the Justice For All social media accounts.
  • By participating in this project, students agree that as to the materials created during the project, the student/parent/guardian grants the United States Courts and the Justice For All initiative (to the extent not already granted) the right to display and copy the artwork.

Artwork:

  • The artwork is to generally be no larger than 12 inches x 18 inches. Artworks should not be fragile and should be easy to transport.
  • Each piece must identify the student artist’s name, grade, and school. The student artist’s full name should not be included on the front of the artwork itself.  Each piece must have a title and a reference to the above-listed project to which it relates.

Artwork that does not comply with the guidelines for this project will not be included in the project or displayed on the Justice For All website or social media accounts or at the courthouse. Determinations as to whether the guidelines are met and whether the pieces will be displayed at the courthouse, on the JFA website, or JFA social media accounts rest solely with the court. Each submission must be accompanied by the submission form (Appendix A), and the media consent and copyright release form (Appendix B).