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As part of Connecticut's Law
Day celebration, students from Shelton and West Haven High Schools will
participate in a mock trial competition on Thursday, May 1, 2003.
This year's Law Day theme is
"Celebrate Your Freedom -- Independent Courts Protect Our Liberties."
Connecticut's events are held in conjunction with the national Law Day
celebration sponsored by the American Bar Association and include
various activities.
The mock trial competition
will begin at 2:30 p.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. in the Supreme Court
Courtroom before Chief Justice William J. Sullivan, Justice Joette Katz,
and Justice Christine S. Vertefeuille. The Chief Justice and Justices
will select the winner.
The case the students will
argue involves a zoning dispute over whether a home for AIDS patients
should be allowed in a residential neighborhood.
Students on the Shelton High
School team are: Mike Bifulco, Jan Curtis, Michaela Davis, Rich Denton,
Brandon Dowdy, Rod Ghassem Zadeh, Sean Ghassem Zadeh, Caroline
Kleczkowski, Ivette Knopka, Mark Kundrat, Gino L'Altrella, Jen
Macchiarelli, Kyle Martin, Andrew Mihalko, John Mihalko, Ashlan Musante,
Steve Nichols, Greg Opperman, Brian Reed, Dan Schofield-Bodt, Robert
Simpson, Jon Sousa, Lauren Spice, Paul Sweetman, and John Vavra.
Teachers Tonya Mastrobattisto, Carolyn Finley and Corry White, and
Attorney/Coach Virginia Mihalko lead the team.
Students on the West Haven
High School team are: Kristina Allen, Matthew Blottney, Amy Costa,
Michael Dolan, Megan Greenberg, Amy Griffin, Maria Heaney, Brittney
Lipsett, Matthew Manzella, Lindsay Michel, Darrylynn Montague, Michael
Moore, Rose Ramos, Rashida Richardson, Carlos Rivera, Nicholas Rivera,
Tim Smith, Jessie Stewart, Juan Suarez, Phil Tepfer, Melissa Youd, and
Katie Zebrowski. Teacher Ron Conlon and Attorney/Coaches Daniel Lyons,
Mary Galvin and Paula Uscilla lead the team.
The Connecticut Bar
Association and the Connecticut Consortium for Law & Citizenship
Education, Inc. are sponsoring the mock trial competition. This is the
second consecutive year that the high school finals have been held at
the Connecticut Supreme Court, which is located at 231 Capitol Avenue in
Hartford.
An awards ceremony for the
students will be held from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. Speakers will include: the
Chief Justice; James Schmidt, Executive Director of the Consortium for
Law and Citizenship Education; Jennifer Lewis, President of the
Consortium; and Attorney Deborah Tedford, President of the Connecticut
Bar Association.
"Young people today don't
get enough credit for all of the good things that they do,'' Chief
Justice Sullivan said. "This is a perfect opportunity to showcase those
good things and the work that these students have put into the
competition. It's an honor for me and my fellow Justices to be part of
the event."
Earlier in the day, the
Connecticut Supreme Court will recognize attorneys who have served on
the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee. That ceremony will start at 10
a.m. in the Connecticut Supreme Court Courtroom.
The 24-member Bar Examining
Committee is responsible for implementing the rules and regulations for
admission to the Connecticut Bar. It also provides for the examination
of candidates for admission to the bar; determines whether such
candidates are qualified as to pre-law education, legal education, and
morals and fitness; and recommends qualified candidates to the court for
admission to the bar.
"The Bar Examining Committee
performs an essential service to the State and its citizens by ensuring
that the men and women who are admitted to the Connecticut Bar are of
high caliber," Chief Justice Sullivan said. "We are pleased to recognize
the committee members' commitment and dedication."
Also in
conjunction with Law Day:
Twenty-five Judges are
scheduled to visit high schools throughout the state to speak about
judicial independence.
The Judicial Branch will
honor its volunteers in a ceremony on Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in
the Museum of Connecticut History, located at 231 Capitol Avenue,
Hartford. The ceremony will start at 10 a.m., with the Honorable
Thomas F. Parker, Deputy Chief Court Administrator, serving as the
main speaker. Volunteers perform various tasks throughout the court
system, and provide invaluable support to Branch employees.
For further information,
please contact Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, Manager of Communications, at
860-757-2270. |
