Orleans Parish students learn legal lessons on National Law Day
28th May 2019 · 0 Comments
By Ryan Whirty
Contributing Writer
When First City Court Judge Angelique Reed recently hosted students from Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School and Phyllis Wheatley Community School in her courtroom as part of the country’s annual Law Day celebration, they were lucky enough to enjoy an educational opportunity that even Judge Reed herself never had as a kid.
“It was a very educational experience for them,” Judge Reed said of the festivities around Law Day. “They got to see things inside a courthouse that I never got to see before I went there as a lawyer.”
First established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 and officially designated by Congress in 1961, Law Day allows students of all ages to witness up close – often in the courtrooms and halls of justice themselves – how the court system operates.
The offices of the Louisiana Supreme Court and Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson coordinated the activities of Law Day in the state. Justice Johnson issued a proclamation declaring May 1 as Law Day in Louisiana, and the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Community Relations Department provided tours to students of the state court offices and administered mock trials for the visitors.
In addition, Justice Johnson’s law clerks – Bria Joshua and Theo Shaw, both attorneys themselves – gave presentations about citizens’ rights, in particular the Fourth and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
In written comments to The Louisiana Weekly, Chief Justice Johnson called Law Day “an opportunity for justices, judges and legal staff to educate the public, specifically students on how the judiciary operates.”
In Louisiana, the chief justice encourages local and regional judges to also host students for similar activities, with a particular emphasis on giving encouragement to youngsters who might be interested in pursuing the law as a career.
“In Louisiana, the Chief Justice urges judges by resolution to invite schools to visit courtrooms to inform, educate and enlighten them on how laws are interpreted and applied,” she added. “They tour the courts and are also presented with information on the academic and career path to becoming an attorney or judge.”
Judges across the state welcomed kids for tours and presentations. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judges Tracy Flemings-Davillier and Monique Barial, along with City Court Judge Reed, hosted Bethune students. In Lafayette, state 15th Judicial District Court Judge Marilyn Castle, attorneys and court staff shared information with students from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College.
Judge Joy Cossich Lobrano of the Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, and her staff hosted mock trials in New Orleans, while in Houma, 32nd Judicial District Court Judge Randy Bethancourt and his staff sponsored similar activities.
Judges who welcomed students to their courts were able to impart their own stories of pursuing a career in the legal profession, including their own inspirations and motivations for their career path. Chief Justice Johnson told The Louisiana Weekly that this year’s edition of Law Day continued a successful tradition in the state.
“Visitors to the various Louisiana courts expressed learning a great deal from exposure to judges as a result of Law Day as well as during our year-round visits,” she said. “It has been apparent that presentations and question-and- answer sessions have been successful in educating the public on court proceedings, how judges are elected and how the Louisiana judicial system operates.
“We have gotten comments from school leaders that the mock trials were informative and fun for the students who participated by acting in legal roles such as attorney, judge, court crier or court clerk,” she added.
City Court Judge Reed told The Louisiana Weekly that Law Day makes a deeper impression on young minds when the nature and functioning of the American judicial system can be presented in specific, currently relevant ways.
The American Bar Association, which sponsors the event nationwide, selected the theme, “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society” for this year’s Law Day, and Reed said she tried to show students how such First Amendment issues impacted today’s society.
As an example, she noted the experience of former pro quarterback Colin Kaepernik, who protested systemic racism and police abuse of citizens, especially African Americans. Reed said that by showing students how Kaepernick was scorned by some and cheered by others, the youngsters understand the importance of the law, including free speech and a free press, to them personally.
“They need to understand modern examples,” Johnson said. “They can’t just hear about Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on a bus. They need to know how the law relates to the modern day.”
Justice Johnson told The Louisiana Weekly that schools submit requests to tour the state Supreme Court year-round, not just on Law Day. She added that hopefully this educational momentum will continue in the future.
“It is my hope that more people will take advantage of this time to familiarize themselves with the judicial process,” she said, “and that more students will get a better understanding of the judiciary while having the opportunity to interact with their local judges and court officials.”
This article originally published in the May 27, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
