The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit hears arguments in three cases Arizona Libertarian Party v. Ken Bennett, Adobe Systems v. Joshua Christenson, Mauricio Margain v. Elsa Ruiz-Bours at the James E. Rogers College of Law on Jan. 29.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit hears arguments at the law school once a year, as part of the court’s ongoing statewide public education effort. Students and members of the public are invited to get a glimpse inside the appellate court system.
The visit is hosted by the law school’s William H. Rehnquist Center on the Constitutional Structures of Government. Established in 2006 in honor of 16th Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, the nonpartisan center is dedicated to encouraging scholarship about, and public understanding of, separation of powers, balance of powers between federal and state governments, and judicial independence.
The Rehnquist Center hosts visits from three courts each year: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals Division Two.
“Part of the Rehnquist Center’s mission is to educate the public about the role of the courts in our system of government,” said Sally Rider, director of the Rehnquist Center. “We host appellate court arguments so that students and members of the public can see how appellate courts operate.”
This year’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arguments will take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the College of Law’s Ares Auditorium, Room 164.
Event registration is available online. Seating is available first to those who have registered. Others are welcome to observe on a first-come, first-served basis.
The cases on the docket are:
Adobe Systems v. Joshua Christenson, 9:30-10 a.m.
Adobe Systems Incorporated alleges that Joshua Christenson and Software Surplus Inc. made and distributed copies of Adobe’s software without authorization or license, in violation of Adobe’s exclusive copyrights of reproduction and distribution. Abode Systems is appealing a September 2012 court ruling in favor of the defendant.
Arizona Libertarian Party v. Ken Bennett 10-10:30 a.m.
On December 29, 2011, members of the Arizona Libertarian Party and the Arizona Green Party filed a complaint against Arizona’s then-Secretary of State Ken Bennett, alleging that the issuance of voter registration forms listing only two of Arizona’s four political parties with statewide continuing ballot access abridges the other two parties’ First and 14th amendment rights. The plaintiff is appealing a March 2013 judgment in favor of the defendant.
Mauricio Margain v. Elsa Ruiz-Bours 10:30-11 a.m.
Mauricio Fernandez Margain will appeal the district court’s denial of his petition under the Hague Convention for the return of his child from the United States to Mexico.
The arguments will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the judges from 11-11:30 a.m. While judges are prohibited from answering questions about pending cases, they can discuss court operations and the decision-making process.
“Getting to see these arguments in person takes away some of the mystery of how cases are decided and makes the process of judging more transparent,” Rider said. “You learn what the judges think is important in deciding the particular case at issue, and in shaping the legal doctrine involved. In addition, the judges take time after the arguments to answer general questions about how the courts work, and how judges decide cases. And for those students interested in becoming lawyers, they often get to see superb lawyers in action making oral arguments.”
Those who attend must stay to hear arguments in all cases. Those who wish to hear only part of the arguments are invited to observe from the College of Law lobby, where we they will be streamed live.
Photo ID is required to attend. No backpacks, purses, electronic equipment, food or drinks are allowed in the courtroom. T-shirts, shorts, hats, sunglasses and flip-flops also are not permitted.