Nebraska Supreme Court to hear oral arguments at AHS

The Nebraska Supreme Court will be taking its proceedings on the road next week when the justices come to Aurora High School to hear oral arguments in two actual cases being appealed to the high court. The event which is part of the court’s annual outreach tour to colleges and high schools, will begin at 10 a.m. next Wednesday, April 29, in the Middle School Theater and students and the community are being invited to attend.  
Aurora will be the second high school that all seven Supreme Court justices will visit this year, as part of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation’s high school and college outreach program to encourage civic education and bring insight to court proceedings for students interested in law.
“It’s going to be an awesome experience to see our judicial process at work and see what that looks like,” said high school principal Doug Kittle. “I think it’s going to be a great educational opportunity for the kids.”
Kittle said Aurora students previously participated in the high court’s outreach program at Hastings High School.
“I remember we had maybe 50 or 60 kids down there,” he said. “I remember Mr. (Kyle) Peterson coming back and saying it was awesome. So when Judge (Rachael) Daugherty reached out and said, “Hey, would you ever want to be a site?’ I said, ‘Absolutely!’”
Along with the high school’s seniors, American History and Introduction to Criminal Justice class members, students from other schools in the Central Conference are also invited to attend.
Students and visitors will be required to observe courtroom decorum, as in a regular court proceeding, by following the bailiff’s instructions.
“The stage will be set up just like a courtroom,” Kittle said, noting there will be a platform for the judges and places for the bailiffs and attorneys.
Hamilton County District Court Judge Rachael Daugherty and County Court Judge Lynelle Homolka will be attending as guest speakers before the oral arguments begin.
Two actual cases that will be argued before the justices will demonstrate different legal arguments that occur frequently within the court system. The two featured cases are Big Iron Auction v. Harder Capital, LLC and State. v. Carpenter.
Attorneys for the appellant (the party appealing  the decision made by a lower court) and the appellee (the party seeking to uphold the lower court’s decision), will each have 10 minutes to argue their side to the justices.
After the proceedings are concluded, students will participate in a 20-minute Q&A session with the justices.
Students will have an opportunity to have lunch with the chief justices in the high school’s media center following the Q&A session.
Students and visitors will be required to go through a security screening before entering the auditorium. Backpacks and cameras will not be allowed inside the auditorium, and cell phones will need to be turned completely off.
“I think it’s going to be a great experience for our students and community, if they choose,” Kittle said. “It’s an open hearing, so anybody who wants to come can come in.”
Case summaries, briefs for the argument sessions and other information for participants can be found at the State of Nebraska Judicial Branch’s website at nebraskajudicial.gov/programs-services/community-engagement-and-public-information/supreme-court-high-school-law-school-argument-sessions.
For more information, contact the high school office.