The Minnesota Supreme Court held oral arguments on May 1, at Highland Park Senior High School, engaging an audience of approximately 850 students. This event is part of a biannual initiative designed to engage students with the judicial process and the functions of Minnesota's highest court.
The case presented was the "Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Anthony Blake Swope (Case No. A24-0128)." The session serves as an educational tool, allowing students to observe the justice system in action.
Chief Justice Natalie Hudson expressed enthusiasm for the traveling oral arguments, stating, "I love this program because we get to interact with the communities we serve—with all of you."
During a question and answer session, students posed questions to the justices about their professional experiences and the judicial process. Associate Justice Karl Procaccini characterized his role by saying, "In the simplest terms, it's the best job I've ever had as a lawyer."
Another point of inquiry concerned maintaining impartiality and handling unfavorable impressions of attorneys, to which Justice Paul Thissen responded, "We're looking at what the arguments are and the logic, not whether we like a particular side." He added, "And sometimes...the answer [in the case] is not always clear."
The demand for interaction was significant, leading the justices to remain in the auditorium after the program concluded, engaging individually with students. Following this, justices shared a meal with student representatives and visited classrooms to further discuss the court and field additional questions.
Since beginning school visits in 1995, the Minnesota Supreme Court has emphasized public understanding of its function, with this event marking the 56th in-school oral argument session.