PHOTO ESSAY: A Day in The U.S. Federal Courthouse (Judicial Appellate)

Delegates in the Judicial Appellate are getting their last-minute preparation in the United States Federal Courthouse before the competition starts. Two of the delegates brought their portfolios ready for their cases for them to be ready for anything that comes in their way. As the day begins, the learning does too.

Our student judge is making sure that what is being presented towards him is something that is reasonable.

“Isn’t there already a law that already prevents blood draw to check for drugs in the body?”

 He needs to understand everything that is being presented, to him in order for him to make the right decision at the end with the best outcomes.

Our senior student delegate is presenting her argument in a case which involves determining what is right and wrong in a crime scene and how one can be rightfully justified. After discussing what was happening with an officer testifying to a crime in which he was involved, the delegates took the case a little bit further to the prisoner’s case, and that the judge may also have a fault in this. “Why did the judge make the error in his decision, this may be based on the judge’s leniency, which makes the argument a cloudy one.”

Our current running Youth Governor in action working in the Judicial Appellate. In his campaign rally, he said he is one of us, and he shows this as he works with us in helping delegates in the judicial appellate.

Our fellow delegates are taking notes about what is being presented in order to confront it with some strong comebacks, in which they find faults in the opposing team’s presentation. At the end of the first round, they both felt good in how they did, but at the same time, they both felt there is still some improvement to be done. As they were complimenting each other, “I felt like you did good with everything and the pressure of the questions, but I feel like I could do better in my speech.”

Two of our student judges are working together in order to come out with a good outcome of what is being presented in the fairest way. In their cases, they also had to come up with their argument in order to know if the case and the argument have good justification. “The video gained more probable cause than what was said before or what was said before or not shown in the crime scene, accumulating what may have happened in the crime scene.”

Senior attorneys from  wh Law practicing in North Little Rock is presenting a very compelling argument where both the judge and the delegate are presenting strong counterpoints. Both delegates are debating what is right and about what happened, “There were 3 minutes from the video evidence missing, so how do we know if his persecution or arrest was justifiably right.” As the delegate remarks, “So this means that the officer’s statement on the case is not important?” 

Delegates multitasking during a lunch break, in which they are eating and deliberating about their cases, without wasting any time. As one of the delegates comes to this fellow judge for advice, he gives her a few tips. “Say what you need to say quickly and diligently, where everyone can understand and have your facts at hand in order to make a good compelling argument.” They later talked about how the political system works while taking notes about what is happening and preparing for round three.

Teacher inspires and motivates the fellow delegates for them to do their best, have fun, and most importantly learn. Texas Youth and Government is not only about the students in it, but the adults and staff that make it happen. “All of this, take advantage of, have fun because with the fun you learn something, and at the end of the day, we all win!”

After the lunch break, delegates are coming back hard at it in round three, with strong arguments for their cases. This fellow delegate talks about how laws being made today are being reinforced now, by answering the student judge’s question. “How do you think this case and argument may help others types of cases like this in the future?” asks the Judge. “This case will help other cases like this by keeping the evidence instead of the demolition of it, which will help innocent people, and help us see cases clearer so we can make the right decision more frequently,” replies the delegate. Our Youth and Government students and delegates are not only thinking of what happened yesterday and what is going on now but in how we can make the future the best it can be wit al the right decisions.