Thousands of students experienced on November 10 what it is like for courts to balance the tensions between individual liberties and public safety at their local Open Doors to Federal Courts event.
High school seniors in courtrooms across the country focused on an actual U.S. Supreme Court case (Michigan Department of Police v. Sitz) involving sobriety checkpoints.
“I thought the program was a tremendous success,” said Judge Saundra Armstrong of the Northern District of California, who brought the national program to the Oakland courthouse. Three district judges and two bankruptcy judges hosted some 300 students.
“During the morning, we divided them into two groups, one in each of the two courtrooms. In each courtroom, after being welcomed by a judge, they heard from a police officer concerning how and why sobriety checkpoints are established,” she said. The students also heard from court representatives, prosecutors and defense lawyers, and had an opportunity to ask questions.
After lunch, the students were assigned to four courtrooms, where they conducted moot appellate court arguments. Students played the roles of judges and lawyers for both sides. “My impression is that all of the students found it very interesting and worthwhile,” Judge Armstrong said.
The complete program, educational materials, and logistical framework for the Open Doors event are provided by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Some courts have scheduled their event for later dates. For more information about Open Doors and other federal court educational outreach programs, go to http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/index.html.