Watch online
Both cases heard Monday will be aired on the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network on cable. Footage from the Supreme Court hearings in Monroe will also be posted on the channel's website, wiseye.org.
MONROE - About 120 area high school students and 80 community members crowded into the Green County Justice Center to hear the Wisconsin Supreme Court sit for two cases Monday.
Hear, yes. Understand, maybe.
The visit was part of a "Justice on Wheels" program started in 1993 as a public outreach initiative to bring the state justices to local county courthouses. It was the court's first visit to Green County.
For anyone not graduated from law school or otherwise steeped in high-level statutory interpretation, the proceedings often sounded like legal terms strung together into a kind of Shakespearean dialogue.
Quick, pursuant to current interpretation, under what circumstances must post-conviction counsel seek a circuit court's permission prior to using a pre-sentence investigation in an appeal? Also, should reviewing courts look at the jury instructions or the statutory elements of the crime in handling sufficiency-of-evidence appeals?
Take heart, even the state justices struggled at times to understand these questions and define the law. When they're confused, they start to use words all of us can understand.
"There's something cattywompus about this," decreed Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, regarding a case from Racine about a man who may or may not have eluded police during a chase from the scene of a shooting at the American Legion Bar.
Under scrutiny was language in the jury instructions on one of the eight counts against the man, Courtney C. Beamon. In the coming days, the Supreme Court will decide whether these jury instructions or the statutory elements of the crime should be considered in a court of appeals.
Ultimately, said Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, it is the job of the Supreme Court to answer, "What does a statute mean?"
"I'm really glad that there's a legislator here," she said, looking over with a mischievous smile at Rep. Janis Ringhand, who listened to both cases. "You can draft it all you want but the issue is always, what does it really mean?"
The other case presented involves a man in Wood County Circuit Court who is convicted of sexual assault of a child.
Many local officials turned out to witness the hearings, including Rep. Howard Marklein and numerous county supervisors.
Monroe attorney Bob Duxstad introduced one of the cases with a flow chart explaining the court system and how the state Supreme Court works. The Supreme Court is unique in that the justices do not hear evidence. Instead, the justices give their opinion solely on the interpretation of law.
"A live case will help them see the difference," said Corey Manlick, a teacher at Black Hawk High School who brought 28 seniors from a civics class.
Sherri Hendrickson, a teacher at Monroe High School, brought 22 juniors and seniors from her Business Law course.
"We're going to go back and break down what we thought happened," she said.
Teacher Kathryn Zastrow brought 60 students from her two-section American Democracy class to one case and said she was "so excited" when she heard the Supreme Court was coming to Monroe.
Seeing the Supreme Court at work in Green County is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, said Jim Pickett. He brought nine juniors and seniors from his Business Education class at Juda High School. It also fit right in with the class schedule, he added, because "we just finished talking about the court system."
High schoolers weren't the only students to benefit from the Supreme Court visit. Before the court went into session, three fifth graders were honored for an essay contest judged by Justice Pat Roggensack.
Bryce Shimko, St. Victor School, placed third with an essay about lowering the voting age.
Henry Schluesche, Albrecht Elementary School, placed second with an essay on how "children should have the right to get new parents if they are being abused or neglected by their parents."
Allison Brennan, St. Victor School, won the contest with an essay about freedom of religion. She read it aloud before the courtroom. She talked about how much she enjoyed being able to go to a Catholic school where she is free to pray, attend mass and spend time with friends who share the same beliefs.
"I know that everyone is different and it is important to be able to express ourselves the way we choose to when it comes to religion," she wrote.
"I want people to use their freedom of religion the best way they can to make the world a better place."
Hear, yes. Understand, maybe.
The visit was part of a "Justice on Wheels" program started in 1993 as a public outreach initiative to bring the state justices to local county courthouses. It was the court's first visit to Green County.
For anyone not graduated from law school or otherwise steeped in high-level statutory interpretation, the proceedings often sounded like legal terms strung together into a kind of Shakespearean dialogue.
Quick, pursuant to current interpretation, under what circumstances must post-conviction counsel seek a circuit court's permission prior to using a pre-sentence investigation in an appeal? Also, should reviewing courts look at the jury instructions or the statutory elements of the crime in handling sufficiency-of-evidence appeals?
Take heart, even the state justices struggled at times to understand these questions and define the law. When they're confused, they start to use words all of us can understand.
"There's something cattywompus about this," decreed Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, regarding a case from Racine about a man who may or may not have eluded police during a chase from the scene of a shooting at the American Legion Bar.
Under scrutiny was language in the jury instructions on one of the eight counts against the man, Courtney C. Beamon. In the coming days, the Supreme Court will decide whether these jury instructions or the statutory elements of the crime should be considered in a court of appeals.
Ultimately, said Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, it is the job of the Supreme Court to answer, "What does a statute mean?"
"I'm really glad that there's a legislator here," she said, looking over with a mischievous smile at Rep. Janis Ringhand, who listened to both cases. "You can draft it all you want but the issue is always, what does it really mean?"
The other case presented involves a man in Wood County Circuit Court who is convicted of sexual assault of a child.
Many local officials turned out to witness the hearings, including Rep. Howard Marklein and numerous county supervisors.
Monroe attorney Bob Duxstad introduced one of the cases with a flow chart explaining the court system and how the state Supreme Court works. The Supreme Court is unique in that the justices do not hear evidence. Instead, the justices give their opinion solely on the interpretation of law.
"A live case will help them see the difference," said Corey Manlick, a teacher at Black Hawk High School who brought 28 seniors from a civics class.
Sherri Hendrickson, a teacher at Monroe High School, brought 22 juniors and seniors from her Business Law course.
"We're going to go back and break down what we thought happened," she said.
Teacher Kathryn Zastrow brought 60 students from her two-section American Democracy class to one case and said she was "so excited" when she heard the Supreme Court was coming to Monroe.
Seeing the Supreme Court at work in Green County is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, said Jim Pickett. He brought nine juniors and seniors from his Business Education class at Juda High School. It also fit right in with the class schedule, he added, because "we just finished talking about the court system."
High schoolers weren't the only students to benefit from the Supreme Court visit. Before the court went into session, three fifth graders were honored for an essay contest judged by Justice Pat Roggensack.
Bryce Shimko, St. Victor School, placed third with an essay about lowering the voting age.
Henry Schluesche, Albrecht Elementary School, placed second with an essay on how "children should have the right to get new parents if they are being abused or neglected by their parents."
Allison Brennan, St. Victor School, won the contest with an essay about freedom of religion. She read it aloud before the courtroom. She talked about how much she enjoyed being able to go to a Catholic school where she is free to pray, attend mass and spend time with friends who share the same beliefs.
"I know that everyone is different and it is important to be able to express ourselves the way we choose to when it comes to religion," she wrote.
"I want people to use their freedom of religion the best way they can to make the world a better place."