 | NEWS RELEASE Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts |
| April 19, 1999 | Contact: Rebecca Fanning |
| NEWS RELEASE Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts |
| April 19, 1999 | Contact: Rebecca Fanning |
| Satellite Links High School Seniors and Federal Judiciary for Mock Trial Nearly 2,000 high school seniors from across the country will experience first hand what it feels like to sit on a federal court jury on April 27 when they will participate in a mock trial as part of the nation's observance of Law Day. High school students from Boston to Spokane and from Fort Myers to South Bend will observe a mock criminal trial, deliberate, and reach a verdict during a 90minute program that will be broadcast via satellite over the closedcircuit Federal Judicial Television Network to approximately 200 federal courthouses. Judges and high school students from each of the 12 geographic federal circuits are expected to participate in the satellite program, which is the first of its kind for the federal courts. The theme of this year's Law Day is "Celebrate Your Freedom: The Importance of Jury Service to an Independent Judiciary." The federal courts' celebration is sponsored by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the American Judicature Society. Media are invited to attend. The program will give high school seniors early exposure to jury service so that they will respond positively when called for jury duty. The mock trial will be broadcast live from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in Washington, D.C. and transmitted to courthouses via satellite over the federal judiciary's internal television network. Judge Joseph Rodriguez of Camden, N.J. will moderate the program from Washington. "Emerging democracies around the world point to the right to trial by jury as the fundamental principle that they wish to emulate in establishing their own new court system," said Judge Rodriguez. "Too often we take this right for granted. This Law Day program pointedly reminds us that the juror-a volunteer citizen-is essential to any system of equal and fair justice." Eleven of the participating courthouses will be linked by interactive pushtotalk technology, which will allow participants at these sites to talk to each other and announce their verdicts during the live broadcast. (See attached list of courthouses.) Other courthouses may fax or email their results. Students will be present at 35 courthouses. Following the trial, the students will hold a panel discussion, moderated by the locally presiding judge, with a local federal prosecutor and federal public defender. At that time, they will have the opportunity to ask questions and comment on jury service and the justice system. Launched a year ago, the Federal Judicial Television Network broadcasts educational and informational programming for federal judges and court employees throughout the country. Offering nearly 30 hours of programing per week, the network has become the federal government's second largest civilian broadcasting network. The Law Day broadcast represents the first time the network has invited the public to participate in its programing. Members of the media who may be interested in watching this exercise in civic responsibility should contact their local court (See attached list.) or call the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Community and Educational Outreach Manager Rebecca Fanning at 202/5022600 for additional information.
* Indicates court participating in national link with interactive dialogue |
| District of Columbia * Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, Washington, D.C.
First Circuit * U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Second Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, NY, NY
Third Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
* U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Camden U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Scranton
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg
U.S. District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas
Fourth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Charleston Fifth Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, Baton Rouge
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio
Sixth Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, London
* U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Memphis
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Lansing
Seventh Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Fort Wayne
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend
Eighth Circuit * U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Little Rock
U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, Omaha Ninth Circuit * U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, Reno
U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, Las Vegas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, Spokane
Tenth Circuit U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, Cheyenne
U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, Casper Eleventh Circuit U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Montgomery
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Mobile
* Indicates court participating in national link with interactive dialogue |
