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Minnesota Court of Appeals to Hold Oral Arguments at Waseca High School

Posted: Friday, November 17, 2023

Taking a cue from the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will host oral arguments at Waseca High School at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21.

"We are excited to be in Waseca and to engage in this educational opportunity," said Court of Appeals Chief Judge Susan Segal. "We have long invited teachers and students into our courtrooms in St. Paul to watch oral arguments and to ask us questions about the courts. Holding oral arguments at Waseca High School allows us to expand on that.”

Although the Minnesota Court of Appeals has regularly traveled to district court locations around the state to hear oral arguments, this is the first time it will do so in a high school.  And while the purpose of the event mirrors that of the Supreme Court’s program—to educate students about what the court system does and how it does it—the Court of Appeals event will look a bit different from its Supreme Court counterpart. For starters, Court of Appeals cases are heard by three-judge panels instead of seven justices. The Court of Appeals event also will feature a judicial spokesperson, Waseca High School alumna and Court of Appeals Judge Renee Worke, to walk students through the process.

Students will have myriad opportunities to be involved in the event, including as hosts for the judges, event stage crew, auditorium ushers, and local broadcast assistants. Selected students also will have an opportunity to meet with judges during a breakfast before Oral Arguments.

With the help of social studies and government teachers, many students will learn the background of the case and read legal briefs prior to the event. This will provide context when listening to the arguments the attorneys make.   

“Exposing students to how we do our work is an important component in building and maintaining public trust in our state court system,” Segal said. “And, as a bonus, maybe we can interest some of the students in pursuing a career in law or to become our next generation of judges.”

After the oral arguments, students will have an opportunity to ask judges questions about the judicial process. This is a popular part of the Supreme Court program and the Court of Appeals is planning for the same level of enthusiasm.

“The judges will be ready to answer whatever questions the students have for them—and we know those questions will be thoughtful, insightful, and tough,” Segal said. “Students are eager to learn about the court system and we’re eager to share our experiences.”
Oral arguments at Waseca High School will be livestreamed on the Court of Appeals webpage. More information about the Court of Appeals also can be found on that page.