Experiential Learning Comes to Campus With Connecticut Supreme Court

October 21, 2019

Submitted By: Mildred McNeill

seven supreme court justices seated — (l-r) Justice Maria Araujo Kahn, Justice Gregory D'Auria, Justice Richard Palmer, Chief Justice Richard Robinson, Justice Andrew McDonald, Justice Raheem Mullins, and Justice Steven Ecker hear oral arguments on campus in Lincoln Theater

photo of chief justice with three pre-law students — (l-r) Students Jayden Rameikas '22, Juli Dajci '20, and Olaleye Onikuyide '20 talk with Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson before the hearings held on campus.

justices mcdonald, kahn with three women students — (l-r) Justice Andrew McDonald and Justice Maria Araujo Kahn talk with students Gabriella Silva '20, Courtney Hyman '20, and Alena Washington '21.

“Court is now in session,” resounded through Lincoln Theater on Wednesday, October 15 as a Connecticut Supreme Court bailiff banged his gavel and the state’s seven Supreme Court justices sat down in a replicated courtroom to hear oral arguments on two appellate cases. Dozens of students, faculty, staff, and community members attended and took advantage of the opportunity to observe and learn about how our judicial process works. Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson says that’s exactly the reason for the program called “On Circuit” that takes court sessions to campuses in the state.

“College students are fantastic,” Robinson said. “They are like sponges when it comes to learning. We come to a college campus so they can actually see us, how we do things, and how our system works. That is vitally important because some of the problems we face today are because people don’t understand our government, they don’t understand our courts, and they don’t understand their roles in our society. We need to get out and help educate people in what we do and how we do it.”

In his welcoming remarks to the Supreme Court justices and audience, University President Gregory S. Woodward said, “This is a special day when our University values statement come to life. Today, our hard-working students and interested citizens are invited to witness a process that is driven by integrity, respect, and a strength of community.”

Students in the University’s Pre-Law Advising Program were among those in attendance and were invited to meet and talk with the justices before court began. The event was affirming for many including Gabriella Silva ‘20, an international studies and economics major, who said “The justices I spoke with were very encouraging of my goals and provided advice that I know will help me in my future career. Sitting in the oral arguments and listening to the interpretations of statutes reminded me of the beauty of law and further confirmed my decision to go to law school.”

Politics and Government major Alena Washington ’21 concurred and added “I was able to apply what I am learning in my Law and the Justice System to the oral arguments I witnessed.”

Olaleye Onikuyide ’20, a double major in economics and politics and government said, “It was a lot of fun discussing the cases and their salient points with fellow pre-law students during the recesses. We also had an impromptu discussion outside the theater after the event before we went our separate ways for the day.”

The justices heard arguments in two criminal cases, State of Connecticut v. Jasmine Lamantia and State of Connecticut v. Thomas William Sawyer, For each case, a defense attorney and a prosecutor had 30 minutes to present to the seven justices who peppered them with questions throughout. There was a 20-minute question and answer period between the attorneys and attendees following each case without the justices present.

The Connecticut Network, CT-N recorded both sessions. You can watch case one here and watch case two here.

There is no timeline for when the rulings on the cases heard on campus will be issued. Anyone interested should monitor the court’s Advance Release Opinion page where a list of cases that will be released later in the morning are posted every day at 8:30 a.m. The rulings go live at 11:30 a.m.