3 June 2015
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene court at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri, on Monday, June 15 and Monday, June 22, 2015, Chief Judge Alok Ahuja announced today. The June 15 session will be held in conjunction with Missouri Boys State and will take place at Hendricks Hall on the Central Missouri campus beginning at 2 p.m. The June 22 session will be held in conjunction with Missouri Girls State and will also take place at Hendricks Hall beginning at 2 p.m.
A three-judge panel consisting of Western District Judges Mark Pfeiffer and Gary Witt and Supreme Court of Missouri Judge Zel Fischer will hear oral argument at the Missouri Boys State session. A second three-judge panel consisting of Judges Lisa White Hardwick, Karen King Mitchell and Cynthia L. Martin will hear oral argument at the Missouri Girls State session. Summaries of the cases to be argued -- which are provided for the convenience of the reader only and should not be construed to reflect any opinion by the court about any case or issue -- are attached:
BOYS STATE CASE SUMMARY GIRLS STATE CASE SUMMARY
Ahuja explained that the cases are appeals from previously held trials in area circuit courts. The judges will hear attorneys argue whether the trials had errors which should cause them to be retried, or the trial court's judgment reversed, he said. The judges will read written arguments before the court session, he added, and may interrupt the attorneys’ arguments with questions.
Missouri Boys State is sponsored by the American Legion, and Missouri Girls State is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. They exist to teach the fundamentals of citizenship, government and politics to the brightest high school juniors in the state. Participants learn first hand the inner workings of the three branches of state government—the executive, the legislative and the judicial.
The upcoming sessions will be the 10th consecutive appearances of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District at Boys and Girls State. The court convenes regularly in Kansas City. However, during the past 22 years, the court also held held sessions in Chillicothe, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Gallatin, Huntsville, Independence, Jefferson City, Keytesville, Kirksville, Lexington, Liberty, Linneus, Macon, Marshall, Maryville, Milan, Moberly, Nevada, Platte City, Richmond, Rock Port, Saint Joseph, Savannah, Trenton, Tuscumbia and Warrensburg.
"It is important for the court to convene oral arguments outside of Kansas City," Ahuja said. "This gives individuals an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial system they normally do not see. We hope those attending will gain a better understanding of the court's function.
Missouri Boys State is sponsored by the American Legion, and Missouri Girls State is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. They exist to teach the fundamentals of citizenship, government and politics to the brightest high school juniors in the state. Participants learn first hand the inner workings of the three branches of state government—the executive, the legislative and the judicial.
The upcoming sessions will be the 10th consecutive appearances of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District at Boys and Girls State. The court convenes regularly in Kansas City. However, during the past 22 years, the court also held held sessions in Chillicothe, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Gallatin, Huntsville, Independence, Jefferson City, Keytesville, Kirksville, Lexington, Liberty, Linneus, Macon, Marshall, Maryville, Milan, Moberly, Nevada, Platte City, Richmond, Rock Port, Saint Joseph, Savannah, Trenton, Tuscumbia and Warrensburg.
"It is important for the court to convene oral arguments outside of Kansas City," Ahuja said. "This gives individuals an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial system they normally do not see. We hope those attending will gain a better understanding of the court's function.
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Contact: Terence G. Lord, clerk of court
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District
(816) 889-3060
tlord@courts.mo.gov