News Item
Minnesota Supreme Court to hear oral arguments at Wayzata High School on May 9

Posted: Tuesday, April 18, 2017

The Minnesota Supreme Court has announced that it will hear oral arguments at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, MN, on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. Nearly 750 students will fill the school auditorium to watch the official Court proceedings. The visit is part of a biannual program that seeks to teach students about the work of the state’s highest Court, while building the public’s trust and confidence in the Judicial Branch.
 
The program will begin at 9:10 a.m., and oral arguments will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Court will hear oral arguments in a real case – State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Maurice Nathaniel Wilson, Appellant (Case No. A16-1294). Oral arguments last approximately one hour.
 
Following the oral arguments, the Supreme Court justices will hold a question-and-answer session with students. The justices will then hold a brief media availability, before sharing lunch with student representatives and spending the afternoon visiting classrooms.
 
The media is invited to attend the oral arguments, the question-and-answer session with students, and the media availability.
 
Below is a schedule of events for May 9:
  • 8:45 a.m. – Media recording equipment must be in place in the auditorium
  • 9:10 a.m. – Program begins in the Wayzata High School auditorium
  • 9:20 a.m. – Hennepin County District Court Chief Judge Ivy Bernhardson gives introductory comments to students
  • 9:30-10:30 a.m. – Supreme Court oral arguments
  • 10:40-11:20 a.m. – Question-and-answer session with students
  • 11:45 a.m.-12 p.m. – Media availability with members of the Supreme Court and student leaders in the lobby outside the auditorium
“The Minnesota Supreme Court coming to Wayzata High School is an amazing opportunity for our students to learn and grow in such an authentic and engaging way,” said Scott Gengler, principal of Wayzata High School.
 
Since the Supreme Court convened oral arguments in Rochester, MN, in 1995, the school visits have been an important part of the Court’s efforts to improve public understanding of the judiciary’s work.  The Wayzata High School visit marks the 45th in-school oral argument for the Court.
 
“The traveling oral argument program is one of the most important – and enjoyable – ways our Court works to enhance the public’s understanding of the judicial system,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea. “Every time we visit a high school, we are overwhelmed by the incredible interest of students, their attentiveness during the official court proceedings, and the great questions they have about how their court system works. Wayzata Public Schools has been a great partner in helping plan this event, and our Court is very much looking forward to our visit.
 
Wayzata Public Schools will broadcast the oral arguments and the question-and-answer session live via ED's TV, the West Metro Educational Cable Channel, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ED's TV is carried on three west metro cable franchises:
  • Comcast Cable/Northwest (Plymouth & Northwest Suburbs) -- Cable Channel 22
  • Comcast Cable/Southwest (Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield) -- Cable Channel 14
  • Mediacom Cable (Wayzata & Lake Minnetonka area) -- Cable Channel 19 and Digital Channel 107.6
In addition, CenturyLink carries ED's TV on PRISM TV Channel 8211 throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The program will also be replayed on ED's TV and posted online.