For the first time since 2002, Texas’s high court heard oral arguments here in Tyler on Thursday and invited the public to attend. Eight upper school students attended the Texas Supreme Court session. Mr. Ballard and Ms. Adams accompanied Mr. Ballard’s debate students and several students interested in studying law.

The students heard excellent lawyers present two cases in the appellate style similar to the debate process they know. One case involved statutory interpretation about freedom of information and the other dealt with admission of evidence in a car wreck case.

After the court session, author and Professor Brian Garner moderated an informative Q&A interaction with the justices. Finally, the students enjoyed a round-table lunch where they got to interact one-one with the justices from the Supreme Court and Tyler’s Twelfth Court of Appeals.

This experience provided the students with a rare and valuable look at how our judicial system works and what it might be like to be a lawyer or a judge.