News Item
Minnesota Supreme Court To Hold Oral Arguments, Community Dinner In Albert Lea
Posted: Monday, August 29, 2016
Events at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club and Albert Lea Senior High School to be held October 5-6
The Minnesota Supreme Court will visit Albert Lea in October as part of a program that seeks to teach students about the court system and build the public’s trust and confidence in the judiciary. During their visit, the Supreme Court will hold a community dinner on Wednesday, October 5. On the morning of Thursday, October 6, the state’s highest court will convene at Albert Lea Senior High School to hear oral arguments in a real court case in front of hundreds of students.
“One of the most important ways we can educate students and citizens about the important role of the judiciary is to show people firsthand the work of our court,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea. “My fellow justices and I are looking forward to our upcoming visit to Albert Lea, and having the opportunity to engage students and local residents about their justice system. We strongly encourage members of the community to attend our dinner event on October 5, and appreciate the support Albert Lea Senior High School has provided to make our school visit a success.”
More information on the two events, which are both open to the media, is provided below:
Public invited to a “Meet Your Court” community dinner
On the evening of Wednesday, October 5, all area residents are invited to Wedgewood Cove Golf Club in Albert Lea to meet and share dinner with the members of the Minnesota Supreme Court and local district court judges.
Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. The event will include a short program featuring brief remarks from members of the Supreme Court.
Tickets are being sold for $15 to cover the cost of dinner, which includes: sweet spinach salad, Midwest stuffed chicken, Mrs. Gerry’s Premium Mashed Potatoes, asparagus spears, and dessert.
Tickets to the community dinner must be purchased in advance and will not be available at the door. Tickets were available until Monday, September 26. If you missed the deadline and still wish to attend the event, please contact the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber office by calling (507) 373-3938.
Seating to the event is limited. Wedgewood Cove Golf Club is located at 2200 W. 9th Street in Albert Lea.
Area students to watch oral arguments in a real court case
The morning following the community dinner, the Minnesota Supreme Court will convene in the auditorium of Albert Lea Senior High School in Albert Lea at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 6. Albert Lea Senior High School students in grades 10 through 12 will be in attendance.
The Court will hear oral arguments on an actual court case. Following the oral arguments, the Supreme Court justices will hold a question-and-answer session with students, share lunch with student representatives, and spend the afternoon visiting classrooms.
In the week leading up to the Court’s visit, local attorneys will visit classrooms to help students understand the Supreme Court oral argument process, and the case that will be before the Court on October 6.
Since the Supreme Court convened oral arguments in Rochester, Minn., in 1995, school visits have taken center stage in the Court’s public outreach and education efforts. The Albert Lea event marks the 44
th in-school oral arguments for the Court.
For more information on the Supreme Court and a guide to oral arguments, please visit
http://www.mncourts.gov/About-The-Courts/SupremeCourt.aspx.
For media interested in recording the oral arguments on October 6, note that these are official court proceedings and will be subject to the Court Rules governing audio and video coverage of appellate court proceedings (see Rule 134.10 of the
Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure). Requests to use recording devices must be submitted to the
Court Information Office at least 24 hours in advance.