Volunteers Needed
Judges Needed for First-Year Oral Arguments
Join us for the oral arguments that conclude the first-year appellate advocacy course. On April 6-13, 2012, our students will argue cases before three-person panels of volunteers in one to three hour sessions taking place in Denver at the Tenth Circuit, or at the Law School in Boulder (detailed schedule below).
If you are interested, please use our online RSVP form here.
This year, the appellate question focuses on the free speech rights of high school students on school grounds. The appellant, a high school student, created a T-shirt regarding a referendum that sought to lower the legal drinking age in the state from twenty-one to eighteen. The T-shirt featured the slogan "I'm 18. I can vote. I can marry. I can pay taxes. I can go to jail. I can fight in war. NOW GIMME MY BEER!!!" During the school day, the principal, who saw the shirt's message as advocating underage drinking, demanded that the student remove the shirt, which he did. The issue on appeal is whether the school district violated the student's First Amendment right to free speech when it prohibited him from wearing the T-shirt at school. Judging the argument requires no special knowledge of constitutional law -- we will provide judges with a bench memo and the students' briefs.
We hope you will be able to join us. We greatly appreciate the involvement of Colorado Law alumni and the legal community in preparing the next generation of lawyers. Please feel free to invite other members of your firm or organization who might be willing to volunteer.
ORAL ARGUMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, April 6
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
1:15 – 3:15 p.m. (Bauer, G. Stafford)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. (Mack) *note: this is a one-hour session.
2:45 – 4:45 p.m. (Mack)
3:05 – 5:05 p.m. (Bauer, G. Stafford)
Monday, April 9
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
8:15 – 10:15 a.m. (Bauer, T. Stafford)
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Bauer, T. Stafford)
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Mack)
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Mack)
3:05 – 5:05 p.m. (Bauer, T. Stafford)
Monday, April 9
University of Colorado Law School, Wittemyer Courtroom
9:00 – noon (Kiernan-Johnson) *note: this is a three-hour session.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. (Kiernan-Johnson)
Tuesday, April 10
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Bauer, Mack, G. Stafford)
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. (Bauer, Mack, G. Stafford)
Tuesday, April 10
University of Colorado Law School, Wittemyer Courtroom
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. (Kiernan-Johnson)
2:45 – 4:45 p.m. (Kiernan-Johnson)
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. (Kiernan-Johnson)
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (T. Stafford)
Wednesday, April 11
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
8:15 – 10:15 a.m. (T. Stafford)
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (T. Stafford)
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Mack)
3:05 – 5:05 p.m. (T. Stafford)
University of Colorado Law School, Wittemyer Courtroom
10:00 a.m. - noon (Kiernan-Johnson)
University of Colorado School of Law, Carrigan Courtroom (Practice Courtroom)
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (G. Stafford)
Friday, April 13
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
1:15 – 3:15 p.m. (G. Stafford)
