Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Over 1,500 students from the Iron Range participate

The Minnesota Supreme Court convened at Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minn., today in an effort to open the doors of the Judicial Branch to the public.

The state's highest court heard oral arguments of an actual case, State of Minnesota, Respondent vs. Adolphus Brown, Appellant - Case No. A07-599.  The Court generally issues its opinions on cases three to five months following oral arguments.  All Supreme Court opinions are available upon release at www.mncourts.gov.

"We are committed to ensuring that Minnesota's courts - the people's courts -- are readily accessible," said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson.  "This visit has been a wonderful opportunity for us to introduce the Court to students and to exchange ideas for the future with the next generation of Minnesota leaders."

Since the Supreme Court convened oral arguments in Rochester, Minn., in 1995, the school visits have taken center stage in the Court's efforts to build the public's trust and confidence in the judiciary.  The Hibbing event marks the 30^th in-school oral argument for the Court and the first visit to the Sixth Judicial District since the Court visited Cloquet in 2004.

Today's program included high school students from Hibbing High School, Wrenshall High School, Virginia High School, Mountain Iron-Buhl High School, Mesabi East High School, Eveleth-Gilbert High School, Cromwell Wright High School, Chisholm High School, and college students from Hibbing Community College.  Hibbing Public Access Television (HPAT) broadcast the oral argument live to the community and will replay the program in the future.  Please visit www.hpat.org for information about future airings.

Members of the Iron Range Bar Association and other area attorneys volunteered to review the case with students and help them prepare for today's oral arguments.  The Minnesota State Bar Association created a lesson plan and a case summary and coordinated the attorney/classroom visits.

Following today's arguments, the Justices answered students' questions on a wide variety of topics.  Justices also ate lunch with Hibbing students and visited with students at Hibbing High School, Lincoln Middle School, and Hibbing Community College.