Colorado Court of Appeals brings real cases to Green Mountain High students
As the Colorado Court of Appeals convened at Green Mountain High School on Feb. 27, Jackson Snow, a Green Mountain student, sat in the audience, watching a lawyer deliver a carefully prepared argument, only to be cut off by a judge’s question. The attorney paused, quickly scribbled a note and pivoted.“I could kind of like see the wheels turning in his head,” Snow said later. “Watching them write things down as they were hearing the other arguments… it was interesting to see how they had to change their strategy on the spot.”Snow was among dozens of students who witnessed real court cases unfold before them as part of Courts in the Community, an educational outreach program that brings appellate court proceedings into schools. The program, run by the Colorado Judicial Department, offers students a rare chance to see how the legal system operates beyond textbooks and TV dramas.“This is not a fake trial, not a movie, not a TV show,” Judge Lino S. Lipinsky told students before the hearing began. “These are real cases involving real people.”During the session, a panel of three appellate judges heard arguments in two cases, one civil and one criminal. The cases addressed issues ranging from statute of limitations to the admissibility of evidence. For students, seeing attorneys and judges engage in rapid legal debate was an eye-opening experience.“The whole experience was very interesting,” student Zennyth Gray said. “It’s so different from anything you could learn in class, even if you watched a movie about law. Being there in person made it feel real.”One of the most surprising aspects for students was the level of questioning from the judges.“I didn’t expect the judges to ask so many questions,” student Cindy Nguyen said. “It was intense, but also amazing to see how the attorneys had to think on the spot and stay confident.”Lessons on confidence, preparation and bias in the legal fieldAfter the oral arguments, students had a rare opportunity to sit down with judges and attorneys to ask about career paths, challenges in the legal system and personal experiences in the profession. Students asked the Court of Appeals judges questions after oral arguments ended. Credit: Courtesy of the Colorado Judicial BranchWhen asked how young attorneys can navigate high-pressure situations in court, the lawyers who presented their arguments emphasized that confidence comes from preparation.“I really have to learn to be comfortable in my own skin,” one attorney shared. “I also have to learn how to be very comfortable standing on my feet making arguments and knowing that I had done the work. Almost always, hard work and preparation will give you that confidence.”Another attorney described the challenge of delivering an argument while facing interruptions from judges.“I wrote a speech that was coming in at about 12 or 13 minutes, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get to most of it,” he admitted. “But that’s just the process. You have to be sharp and prepared.”Students were also curious about how lawyers adjust their arguments depending on whether they present to a judge or a jury. One attorney explained that the key difference is in the way legal arguments are framed.“When you’re speaking with jurors, the idea is to tell a story that makes sense,” he said. “Judges are already experts on the law, but with a jury, you have to explain things in a way that connects with regular people.”Judges, however, must weigh cases from multiple perspectives, especially in appellate court, where a panel makes decisions rather than a single individual. Judge Sueanna Johnson highlighted how having diverse viewpoints among judges strengthens the legal process.“We sit in divisions of three, and when you have judges who come from different life experiences, you’re going to have different biases,” Johnson said. “That helps make sure we’re seeing cases from multiple angles.”The discussion also touched on gender and racial bias in the legal profession, with one student asking two female judges about their experiences navigating these challenges. Judge Pax L. Moultrie acknowledged that while progress has been made, disparities still exist in how women and people of color are treated at specific points in their careers.“I think that women judges, judges of color and LGBTQ judges are sometimes judged more harshly during the process that we have to go through for retention,” Moultrie said. “But, I always felt supported and have had the mentorship of people who encouraged me to come along this path throughout my legal career.”Lipinsky pointed out that representation in the judiciary has improved in recent years.“For the first time, 50% of the Colorado Court of Appeals is women,” he told the students, a milestone that resonated with many in the audience.Balancing mental health and the emotional toll of legal decisionsPerhaps the most personal discussion of the day came when students asked about the emotional toll of making difficult legal decisions, particularly in criminal cases involving violence, child abuse or wrongful convictions.“When we become judges, we take an oath to follow the law,” Lipinsky said. “We don’t decide cases based on our personal preference. We can’t do that.”Johnson called those decisions “Pepto-Bismol moments,” when judges see an outcome that doesn’t sit well.“Sometimes the outcome does kind of turn my stomach, but that’s not my job.” Johnson said. “And in fact, when I have those moments, and we’ve talked about it, then I know I’m actually doing the job that I’ve been asked to do and not necessarily deciding the pieces on my own personal preference.”Students also asked how legal professionals cope with the stress of their jobs.“If you ask any judge if this job affects their mental health, they’d be lying if they said ‘no,’” Johnson said. “At first, I had no work-life balance. I was working all the time, and it started affecting my family. Now, I set boundaries and make sure to take care of my mental health.”Another judge echoed the need for intentional self-care in the legal profession.“I always think of the oxygen mask rule. You take care of yourself so you can care for others,” Moultrie said. “I recently discovered I love being in the mountains, so I make time for that. It’s about knowing what refuels you.”For many Green Mountain High students, the day’s events were a rare chance to witness the judicial system in action and to hear directly from the people who work within it.“It was so different from what I expected,” Nguyen said. “Having this opportunity to explore law firsthand was surreal. I don’t think a lot of high school students get to do this.”For the judges, the goal of Courts in the Community is to make the legal system accessible, understandable and less intimidating for the next generation.“I thought it was really cool that they came to our high school,” Snow said. “Some people are uncomfortable in a courtroom, but they came to us. They got out of their comfort zone to make sure we could experience this in a way that worked for us.”The post Colorado Court of Appeals brings real cases to Green Mountain High students appeared first on Colorado Community Media.
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