Third Appellate District in Sacramento to Host Oral Argument Outreach Session

Media interested in attending the session are asked to email merrill.balassone@jud.ca.gov

Sacramento—Administrative Presiding Justice Laurie M. Earl announced the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District will host a special oral argument session for students at McGeorge School of Law on Sept. 13 starting at 10 a.m.

Since 2000, the Third Appellate District has held oral argument sessions in 30 high schools and one law school in 20 counties of its district. This will be the first special session held by the Third Appellate District since the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 200 law school students are expected to attend. Oral argument will begin at 10 a.m. and will be heard at McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific Lecture Hall, 3227 Fifth Avenue in Sacramento. All interested members of the public, attorneys, and judges are welcome to attend. Those who attend will be required to go through security screening, so an early arrival is advisable.

Two cases will be heard:

• 10-10:30 a.m.: Brinsmead et al. v. Elk Grove Unified School District et al. (C096394) Appeal from judgment of dismissal following demurrer entered in favor of Elk Grove Unified School District et al.
   
• 10:40—11:10 a.m.: Valter v. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC (C096036) Appeal from summary judgment granted in favor of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC.
   
• 11:10-11:40 a.m.:  Discussion/question-and-answer session with students.

As part of this educational experience, justices of the Third Appellate District will discuss their career paths with the students and conduct a question-and-answer period immediately following oral argument. The justices are not permitted to answer questions about the cases.

The Third Appellate District comprises 23 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba.