Feb. 23, 2010
Supreme Court to Hold Off-Site Court in Huron County in April
Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer has announced that the Supreme Court of Ohio will convene in official session in Huron County on Wednesday, April 21. The visit is part of the court’s semiannual Off-Site Court Program.
Chief Justice Moyer and Justices Paul E. Pfeifer, Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Maureen O’Connor, Terrence O’Donnell, Judith Ann Lanzinger and Robert R. Cupp will hear oral arguments in several cases beginning at 9 a.m. at the Huron County Courthouse, 2 E. Main St., in Norwalk.
Huron County Common Pleas Court Judge James W. Conway extended a formal invitation to Chief Justice Moyer.
The Off-Site Court Program, initiated by Chief Justice Moyer in 1987, has gained national recognition as a model program for education about the judiciary. The program enhances students’ understanding of the legal system by providing an opportunity for hundreds of students to attend and observe the proceedings of the Supreme Court in person and to interact with justices, attorneys and court staff.
Students from Bellevue, Monroeville, New London, Norwalk, Norwalk Catholic and Willard high schools will participate. The students and their teachers will receive curriculum material to study before the session, including summaries of the specific cases to be argued. Local attorneys will team with educators at each participating school to explain Ohio’s judicial system and review case materials.
On the morning of April 21, students will attend a special briefing during which they may ask questions and interact with the justices. In addition, students from each school will be assigned to attend one of the oral arguments. After the assigned case has been argued, each group of students will meet with the case attorneys for a debriefing and discussion of the legal issues in the argument they just heard.
Chief Justice Moyer said the Huron County session will mark the 59th time the Supreme Court has heard oral arguments outside Columbus during the past 23 years.
“The idea of this program is to bring the court closer to the public and especially young people,” Chief Justice Moyer said. “Our off-site sessions have enabled 33,220 Ohioans, 25,245 of them high school students, to observe the Supreme Court in action without leaving their communities.”
Access background information and a video illustrating the program, including footage from past Off-Site Court sessions.
Supreme Court Contacts: Chris Davey or Bret Crow, 614.387.9250.
Local Contacts: Court Administrator Linda Stower or Judge Conway, 419.668.6162.