Chief Justice John Roberts might have popularized the metaphor of judges as umpires. But when talking about how judges can improve at their trade, Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mildred Cabán of the District of Puerto Rico and retired Minnesota state court Judge Kevin Burke embraced a different sports metaphor: the judge as an athlete. Cabán and Burke say that judges could benefit from the sorts of coaching relationships and intense review of past performance that athletes employ to improve their skills.  

"In any endeavor, getting feedback is really important," said Burke during a web program on coaching judges late last month sponsored by the Berkeley Judicial Institute. But Burke, who now regularly consults with courts and individual judges, says "the design or the culture" of the judiciary doesn't naturally offer a lot of feedback. Sure, the appellate court will tell trial judges when they're wrong on the law. But getting the law right is just part of a judge's job, he said.