The Minnesota Supreme Court is set to hold oral arguments at Mora High School on May 8. This event is part of the court's traveling oral arguments program, which aims to educate students about the judicial system and enhance public trust in the Judicial Branch.
"Visiting Minnesota high schools and giving students an opportunity to see their justice system up close is one of the most important ways our Court works to build public trust in and understanding of the Judicial Branch," stated Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie E. Hudson. "The members of the Court look forward to each of these visits, and we always leave inspired by students and their interest and enthusiasm for learning about the legal system."
The session will take place in Mora High School's new auditorium, where justices will hear oral arguments in State of Minnesota vs. Almanzo Ousley Cotton (No. A23-0213). The event will be attended by hundreds of students from grades 7 through 12. After the hearing, justices will engage with students through a question-and-answer session, have lunch with student representatives, and visit classrooms.
"Mora High School is honored to have been selected as one of the two schools in the state to host the Minnesota Supreme Court this year," said Mora High School Principal Brent Nelson. "This is a great opportunity for our students to see firsthand how the judicial system works."
These school visits are central to the court's outreach and education initiatives. The upcoming visit marks the 54th traveling oral argument since its inception in Rochester in 1995. It also represents a significant moment as it will be the final traveling oral argument for retiring Associate Justices G. Barry Anderson and Margaret H. Chutich, who have engaged with over 40,000 Minnesota high school students during their tenure.
Oral arguments from this session will be available via live stream.