WINNEMUCCA - The Nevada Supreme Court is again spearheading a statewide celebration of Law Day, including the latest version of the innovative Law Day Live, which brought the state national awards for the past two years.
Law Day Live 2013, as in past years, will be an interactive Internet event webcast live from three Nevada communities.
But unlike past years, when forums of judges and lawyers fielded questions from high school students, the 2013 event will feature mock Supreme Court arguments presented by students.
The webcast will be generated from Carson City, Las Vegas and Winnemucca. Supreme Court Justice Nancy Saitta will moderate Law Day Live from Las Vegas.
The mock arguments will focus on cases relating to the American Bar Association's 2013 Law Day theme of "Realizing the Dream: Equality for All."
The cases include issues of immigration, the role of diversity in college admissions, and the propriety of voter ID laws.
Students in one location will present the appellate arguments while students in another location will provide the respondent arguments. At a third location a panel of "judges" - including real life judges and former judges - will rule on the case.
The students initially will present legal arguments, but then will answer questions from the judges about the relevance of the issues in today's culture.
"Today's technology allows us to present educational events such as Law Day Live across Nevada's 100,000 square miles, and to anyone who has a computer and Internet access," said Justice Saitta.
"Nevada's innovative approach to its Law Day activities undoubtedly was responsible for our efforts being recognized in 2011 and 2012 by the American Bar Association as among the nation's top three Law Day programs in the nation," Justice Saitta said.
Although Law Day officially is only one day, in Nevada there will be more than a week of Law Day 2013 events.
"Just as in past years, it will not be possible to incorporate all of Nevada's Law Day activities into a single day," said Justice Saitta. "We simply have too many events scheduled - from Law Day Live to award presentations to forums in schools and before civic groups."
Law Day traditionally falls on May 1, but in Nevada, Law Day events will begin with Law Day Live on April 25 and will continue into May. Forums, promoted by the State Bar of Nevada and the courts, will begin on April 26 and continue into May throughout the state. These forums have become a Law Day tradition.
Poster and essay contests for students, sponsored by the State Bar of Nevada, will also continue this year. Cash and other prizes will be awarded to the winners.
The Supreme Court will also provide cash prizes to winners of its web-based Easy Essay Contest for students. Essay questions will be posted weekly for five weeks on the S upreme Court website leading up to Law Day for students to answer in 100 words or less. The Easy Essay Contest began March 18.
[[In-content Ad]]
