Calendar of Events

Barefoot Student Union Building, Harvey Auditorium

On February 20 we will convert Harvey Hall into an appellate court room and The Tennessee Court of Appeals Western Section will hold court. Three cases are set for oral appellate argument beginning at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30. After the last case court will adjourn to the cafeteria for lunch with the judges and the clerks of court. The lawyers have a limited time to make their points. The judges will ask the lawyers questions and challenge them on the issues. At the end of each case the judges will file out and the lawyers will address any questions from the audience. The judges cannot of course comment on undecided matters.

Court rules will be followed so there can be no entering or exiting during each case. No food drink or electronic devices making noises. The appellate clerk will begin and end each session.

The lunch in Coburn is designed to allow anyone from the audience who wants to have lunch with the judges and pick their brains about the law, crimes, law school, law practice, social and political issues, etc,. Students and others will obtain their lunches as usual and meet the judges in Coburn for an informal Q and A after 12:30 or so.

The judges want college students, guests of Union and others who otherwise do not have the opportunity to see how the system works to see it firsthand. The Court is a three judge panel that hears appeals in civil cases (not criminal) in the circuit courts in our area.