Mickes O’Toole attorney Steven Hall recently visited with students at a local middle school. The purpose was to discuss with the class how the courts work and how trial are conducted. Steven (along with fellow Mickes O’Toole attorney Brittany Newell) were appointed by the court to represent an indigent litigant who alleged violations of his constitutional rights. Before the trial, Steven went to the class in order to tell them about in the case and the court. In return, the class helped Steven formulate his opening argument for trial. A couple days after Steven’s visit, the class went on a field trip to the court itself and was present in the courtroom for opening arguments, so that they could see a trial first hand (and to see how their suggestions were incorporated into trial strategy). After the trial was concluded, Steven returned to the class to tell them of how the trial went.
Steven presented a summary of the testimony presented. Then, he divided the class into jury panels and gave them some of the same instructions that the court had given the jury in the case itself. The class groups then deliberated, reached a verdict, and reported that to the rest of the class. The students’ teacher, Amy Stricker, thanked the firm for this “tremendous and unique learning experience for the students.”
