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CCE's School Jury Education Program is in Full Swing

 The Council for Court Excellence has been fully immersed this winter in its School Jury Education Program where judges, lawyers, and court administrators take part in educating local high school students about the importance of jury service and their role as prospective jurors. 


On January 13th, more than one hundred students participated in a lesson at McKinley Technology High School in Northeast DC. US District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan led the lesson at his alma mater and underscored the significance of 
this civic duty as well as teaching them about the fundamentals of jury service. After watching a video of a mock trial based on a real murder case tried in DC Superior Court, students engaged in a lively deliberation and explained to their fellow classmates why the defendant in the case was guilty or not guilty. This lesson follows other sessions that have been held at traditional and charter high schools throughout the city. Also, given the national prominence that grand jury service has had in the wake of incidents in Ferguson, MO and Long Island, NY, some sessions have touched upon the differences between grand jury service and petit jury service and why the justice system may or may not have failed.


Other judges who have led sessions this school year include Judges Joseph Beshouri, Anthony Epstein, Tara Fentress, Gregory Mize, and John Mott. CCE Board Directors Jonathan Shoemaker, Lynn Mattucci and CCE Board Chairman Jay Brozost have also led sessions. More sessions will take place in the coming weeks. If you are interested in leading a session or finding out more, please contact Hillary Evans, evans@courtexcellence.org.


 
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