Colorado Judicial Branch
Community and Educational Resources
Courts in the Community
Courts in the Community is an educational outreach program that gives high school students a firsthand look at how the Colorado judicial system operates and how disputes are resolved in a democratic society.
Since 1986, the Colorado Supreme Court Justices and Court of Appeals Judges have traveled to high schools in Colorado to hear oral arguments at each location, meeting students around the state and educating the public about their work. Cases are chosen specifically considering the interests of students.
These are not mock proceedings; they are oral arguments in actual cases from which rulings are determined. Each Court issues its opinions anywhere from a few weeks to months after hearing the arguments.
For an overview, watch the video below of the Colorado Supreme Court's visit to Ralston Valley High School in Arvada in Oct. 2014, where justices heard arguments in two cases.
Watch a video made by Jeffco Public Schools about a court visit to D'Evelyn High School.
What happens during a court visit?
Oral arguments are generally held in the morning. The formal event begins with opening remarks welcoming the audience and explaining the format of the proceedings. The court hears two oral arguments during the visit. A question-and-answer session between the students and participating lawyers follows each argument. The judges or justices join the open dialogue with the students at the conclusion of the second session. A luncheon traditionally hosted by the local bar associations, school, and court wraps up the activities. During this lunch, students selected by their teachers have the opportunity to eat and converse with the justices or judges. Participating lawyers and members of the community can also be invited, depending upon resources. The entire visit generally lasts four to five hours.
How is a Supreme Court visit different from a Court of Appeals visit?
The Supreme Court visit usually begins with a coffee reception at the school, giving the justices an opportunity to meet members of the community, including teachers, school administrators, board members, district judges and lawyers from the local bar association. All seven justices travel to hear their oral arguments. The Oral Arguments for each case last an hour (30 minutes per side).
Court of Appeals judges sit in panels of three to hear cases. The Oral Arguments for each case last half an hour (15 minutes per side). Their visits also typically begin with a coffee reception. Sometimes, local judges join the group to interact with the students.
How can this program benefit your school?
By bringing the judicial process to you, the Courts in the Community program provides a unique learning opportunity for all involved. This is a chance for teachers and students to witness actual court cases and view the appellate process in progress. It is also a chance for students to meet and interact with the judges and justices.
About a month before the day of arguments, teachers are provided with background information, lesson plans and teaching materials at a customized workshop, where judges, lawyers and court staff help you understand the cases to be argued. Volunteer lawyers from your area may also schedule times to visit your classrooms and answer questions, facilitate discussions and lead activities with the students in order to help prepare them.
How do the Courts decide where and when they are going?
Both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals try to visit one urban and one rural school each year. Our visits are usually in the fall and the spring. Arguments can be held on the school campus or, depending upon space, in a nearby college facility or convention center. We look for locations where there is interest from teachers, students and administrators. If there is room, the host schools are encouraged to invite other nearby schools to participate in the event. Our goal is to expose as many students and communities to our program as possible. We are not opposed to returning to schools we have already visited, especially if significant time has passed.
How can schools get involved?
Interested in having the Colorado Supreme Court or Court of Appeals visit your school? Check with your principal and teachers (especially government, history, social studies and law) to make sure there is interest.
Then contact Sue Postema Scheeres, Public Information Coordinator at the Office of the State Court Administrator
What is required of schools?
You have five main responsibilities when hosting the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals:
- Select a school representative to serve as liaison and attend meetings to plan project components. The Office of the State Court Administrator will provide a planning guide and work closely with you and your school to ensure that everything is ready for the Court's visit.
- Determine teachers to participate in the program. Teachers will attend a virtual three-hour workshop that will provide important information from judges, lawyers and court staff about the cases and the visit.
- Prepare students for Oral Arguments using lesson plans provided.
- Provide the Judicial Branch with a list of local officials to invite to the event.
- Provide venue and help set up for event.
Note that the Judicial Branch pays for the visit.
What will your students learn from this experience?
- The importance of the rule of law
- The manner in which a democratic society resolves disputes
- The history of the courts
- How the Colorado Judicial Branch functions
- How the appellate process works
- What it takes to become a judge
- The role and responsibilities of judges
- Who are Colorado's appellate justices and judges?
- Courtroom etiquette
- The steps a court case follows through the appellate process
- Speech and debate tactics
- How to argue a case
- How to objectively examine a case
- Implications and impact of court decisions