Supreme Court Justices will hold oral arguments at Schuyler Central campus on November 2, 2018 as part of the Nebraska Supreme Court’s outreach and education efforts. Two arguments will be heard on November 2, 2018 beginning with an educational program at 9:00 a.m. Court arguments will be followed by a question and answer session with students. Cases are selected to demonstrate the variety of legal arguments that face the court system on a regular basis.

The visit is part of an ongoing effort by the Nebraska Supreme Court and the legal community to raise awareness of court processes and the importance of civics.

This marks the first time that the Supreme Court has held arguments in Schuyler. Former Supreme Court Justice John Gerrard, who is now a United States District Judge, will join the educational portion of the program to provide background information on the court system. Judge Gerrard is a graduate of Schuyler Central High School as is Chief Justice Mike Heavican.

Portions of the educational programming will be interpreted into Spanish by Nebraska State Court Interpreter Coordinator Vladimir Bazan. Spanish language questions from students following the court arguments will also be interpreted.

“Our visit to Schuyler High School is one of several outreach activities the Judicial Branch has designed to help students appreciate the importance of an independent judiciary in a functioning democracy,” said Chief Justice Mike Heavican.  He continued, “As a Schuyler Central graduate, it is a homecoming visit for me.  I am particularly pleased that fellow Schuyler graduate Judge John Gerrard has accepted an invitation to join our teaching effort.”

All argument sessions, whether held in the Supreme Court courtroom or outside of the State Capitol, are open to the public.