Fourth Appellate District Hosts Special Session for San Diego High School Students

SAN DIEGO—The Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One, held a special oral argument session on Feb. 27 at Crawford High School. Approximately 230 students from Crawford’s Law Academy attended the event.

This outreach program is one of many in the Fourth Appellate District to expand students’ understanding of the appellate court process. In advance of the oral argument, local appellate attorneys and San Diego Superior Court judges visited classrooms to explain the cases and the process that brought them to the appellate court. The San Diego County Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section was instrumental in coordinating the presentations.

At the oral argument, the students were able to see experienced attorneys argue their cases and respond to inquiries before the court. Prior to the arguments, counsel presented the facts of the cases to the students in attendance. After the session concluded, the justices discussed the appellate process with the students and answered questions. Representatives from the Attorney General’s Office and Appellate Defenders, Inc. also spoke to the students about the roles their organizations play in the appellate process.

“All the members of the court were impressed by how attentive the students were during oral argument and enjoyed answering their questions. They particularly seemed to enjoy hearing from Justice Jose Castillo about his background as an immigrant and subsequent success,” said Administrative Presiding Justice Judith McConnell.

This program is the result of a collaborative effort between Crawford High School, the San Diego County Bar Association, and the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One.