Welcome - 2027 Silver Gavel Awards for Media & the Arts

Program Objectives

The Gavel Awards seeks to recognize media and the arts that meet one or more of these objectives:

educate the public about the American constitutional/legal system and the fundamental principles and values upon which it is based (this may include both domestic and international issues or comparative perspectives);
educate the public about the operations of legal institutions (e.g., the courts, legislatures, regulatory agencies, prisons, and law enforcement agencies) and the role lawyers and other legal professionals play in the justice system; and
encourage public support for improvements in the American justice system by informing the public about current practices, policies, and issues.

Selection Criteria

The American Bar Association established the following criteria for selecting entries to receive Gavel Awards:

extent to which the entry addresses the Gavel Awards’ purpose or program objectives;
educational value of the legal information or issues treated;
impact on, or outreach to, the public;
thoroughness and accuracy in presentation of issues;
creativity and originality in approach to subject matter and effectiveness of presentation; and
demonstrated technical skill in production of entry.

*Prepare before Submission*

The submission form asks for the following as separate file uploads or URLs:

List of all key creative contacts connected to an entry in one PDF.
Access to the entry. All entries are submitted digitally, as an uploaded file (PDF) or hosted at a URL. If an entry has a password, provide the password.
Books are submitted digitally and as hard copies x 5. Instructions for shipping books will be provided in the form and with confirmation.
Any supplemental materials that might be relevant to review of the entry, combined into one PDF or hosted at one URL.