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September 23, 2010

网曝门 hosts Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals

University of Louisiana at Monroe students enjoyed a interesting peek into Louisiana鈥檚 legal system on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as the state鈥檚 Second Circuit Court of Appeals held a session at 网曝门鈥檚 Brown Auditorium.

Attorneys argued for and against defendants in two cases, one civil and one a combined criminal case. The event provided an excellent opportunity for judges and other officials to interact with 网曝门 faculty, students and staff, as well as the public at large, since area high school students were also invited to attend.

鈥淔or a person considering entering a career in law, for example, what better classroom could we offer than this?鈥� said Associate Professor John Sutherlin, whose political science students attended the session in lieu of their regular class meeting.

A three-judge panel that included Judge Felicia Toney Williams, Judge D. Milton Moore III and Judge John Larry Lolley, a 网曝门 alum, presided over the session.

Although the Second Circuit Court of Appeal is anchored in Shreveport, each judge mentioned his or her specific tie to northeast Louisiana and desire to reach out to parishes outside of Caddo as part of an ongoing effort to educate students and the general public about the work of Louisiana鈥檚 appellate courts.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very glad to be here with you all today,鈥� said Lolley. 鈥淲e feel it is important to show you what the circuit court does. We take a person鈥檚 civil liberty and rights very serious.鈥�

Moving the court session to other geographical locations also aids attorneys and their clients who sometimes must travel further to attend court when it is held in Shreveport.

Lolley explained that the Second Circuit Court is the state鈥檚 largest, covering 20 parishes and stretching across the northern part of the state from the Mississippi River to the Texas border. Yet the work of the court often goes unnoticed, according to Moore, a graduate of Neville High School in Monroe.

鈥淥ur court is often the last resort for a person who appeals a lower court鈥檚 decision, since so few cases reach the state Supreme Court,鈥� he said.

There are a total of nine judges who preside on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Williams, Moore and Lolley were each elected to represent different sections of District One, which covers Ouachita and seven other northeast Louisiana parishes.

鈥淪ometimes we just like to come home to Monroe,鈥� said Lolley, with a smile.

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