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The Daily OrangeStudent justice
Supreme Court class allows student to try actual cases by playing lawyers, justices
By Anne-Caroline Sieffert
Posted: 11/9/07, 12:34 AM EST Section: Feature
Covit is currently playing Counsel of Record for the Petitioner, Miller is Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy and Amodeo has the crowning role of Chief Justice Roberts.
"Students seem to be very involved in this, and they want to do well because of the 'public' hearings we have," Keck said.
Miller added even though she has completed her policy studies major, she still decided to take this class.
"It's a very challenging and interesting class, and I was very excited for the opportunity," Miller said.
Teaching assistant Vince Stark said he thinks the students' enthusiasm and willingness is the reason for why class runs so smoothly.
"The media is acting like the media, the justices are acting like the justices and all of them are taking this very seriously," Stark said.
And as for the academic value of this assignment, Keck says it helps students learn how the United States' justice system functions and gives them invaluable insights into the Supreme Court's role and acts.
Miller and Covit, who both want to be lawyers, said this class is very helpful for their future careers as well as learning basics and intricacies about the U.S. justice system - as Amodeo and Keck both said the experience is very valuable to them.
In addition to the mock trials, students have more traditional academic work to do, such as writing legal briefs and reports.
Part of the media's job is to report on all of the oral discussions. The students playing members of the press created a radio talk-show about the class called "The 316," as well as an entire Web site dedicated to the class under the name of "Syracuse News Network," which is available at http://sunn.wordpress.com.
All of the students show a great deal of interest both in and out of the classroom, and it shows in the way they interact with each other, teaching assistant Stark said.
Amodeo said the class is hard work, but it's also a great experience that will be helpful in pursuing her career goal to work in national security.
"This class allowed me to be both personally invested as well as get an academic point of view," Amodeo said.
Amodeo, Miller and Covit all agreed that this class was the best way to study the Supreme Court since it is extremely hands-on but also academic. Even other Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs professors have adopted the interactive formula, Keck said.
"They all receive the same positive answer from their students who are very serious about the work and also very much like it," Keck said.
"Students seem to be very involved in this, and they want to do well because of the 'public' hearings we have," Keck said.
Miller added even though she has completed her policy studies major, she still decided to take this class.
"It's a very challenging and interesting class, and I was very excited for the opportunity," Miller said.
Teaching assistant Vince Stark said he thinks the students' enthusiasm and willingness is the reason for why class runs so smoothly.
"The media is acting like the media, the justices are acting like the justices and all of them are taking this very seriously," Stark said.
And as for the academic value of this assignment, Keck says it helps students learn how the United States' justice system functions and gives them invaluable insights into the Supreme Court's role and acts.
Miller and Covit, who both want to be lawyers, said this class is very helpful for their future careers as well as learning basics and intricacies about the U.S. justice system - as Amodeo and Keck both said the experience is very valuable to them.
In addition to the mock trials, students have more traditional academic work to do, such as writing legal briefs and reports.
Part of the media's job is to report on all of the oral discussions. The students playing members of the press created a radio talk-show about the class called "The 316," as well as an entire Web site dedicated to the class under the name of "Syracuse News Network," which is available at http://sunn.wordpress.com.
All of the students show a great deal of interest both in and out of the classroom, and it shows in the way they interact with each other, teaching assistant Stark said.
Amodeo said the class is hard work, but it's also a great experience that will be helpful in pursuing her career goal to work in national security.
"This class allowed me to be both personally invested as well as get an academic point of view," Amodeo said.
Amodeo, Miller and Covit all agreed that this class was the best way to study the Supreme Court since it is extremely hands-on but also academic. Even other Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs professors have adopted the interactive formula, Keck said.
"They all receive the same positive answer from their students who are very serious about the work and also very much like it," Keck said.
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