On Wednesday, the New York State Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state, will pay a visit to Syracuse University’s College of Law.

The Court will hear four cases, all of which relate to the Syracuse area, and will be open to the public. Arguments are slated to begin at noon in the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom, which is located in Dineen Hall.

According to the College of Law’s summary of the case briefs, the four arguments being heard include Malay v. City of Syracuse, People v. Clifford Graham, Matter of the Estate of Lewis and People v. Pernell A. Flanders.

Below only the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals is the final stop for cases related to state laws, said Gary Spencer, the court’s public information officer. He said while the court can hear any kind of case, the judges usually look for those where the law is unclear and needs to be resolved.

The court has been based in Court of Appeals Hall in Albany, New York since the 19th century, Spencer said, but spent time in Brooklyn, New York in 2002 as a result of construction. Ever since, the judges have periodically traveled from Albany to allow more citizens to see them in action, he said.

This is also why the arguments are open to the public and available on the court’s website, Spencer said.

“Most people are more willing to accept a law if they understand how the judges arrived at it,” he said.

College of Law Dean Hannah Arterian said in an email that she hopes students will also learn from the lawyers and judges who will be practicing law during Wednesday’s event.

She said law students are often so thoroughly immersed in their education that they are not able to see the law in action. Visits like this provide students with “the opportunity to be thoughtful and reflective” about what they are learning and how it is applied in the real world, Arterian said.

Arterian added that this occasion is particularly special because it demonstrates one of the benefits of the College of Law’s brand new building, Dineen Hall.

In its previous location, she said, the College of Law was unable to host events of this magnitude because they simply did not have the room. The Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom is an ideal setting for the court and reflects the open nature of the judicial process, Arterian said.

Cody Carbone, a second year law student pursuing a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said he is looking forward to getting a live look at the court proceedings.

Carbone, who is also the vice president of the Student Bar Association, the College of Law’s student government, said Wednesday’s visit from the Court is extremely prestigious and will be marketable to incoming students. Carbone said this contributes to the national ranking of the College of Law — something that is very important.

He added that he is most interested in seeing how lawyers answer the judges’ questions about their briefs, as he wants to observe how they remain calm while being interrogated.

Said Carbone: “We don’t get many opportunities to learn the practical side of law.”

Published on March 24, 2015 at 9:33 pm

Contact Delaney: dovanwey@syr.edu