FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar. 01, 2006

CONTACT: Rebecca Colton, Rebecca.Colton@jb.state.ia.us
Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu

IOWA SUPREME COURT HOLDS SPECIAL SESSION AT DRAKE LAW SCHOOL

First-year students at Drake University Law School will hear oral arguments before the Iowa Supreme Court at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 9, in the Drake Legal Clinic courtroom in the Neal and Bea Smith Law Center, 2400 University Ave.

Following the arguments, the justices will participate in a question-and-answer session for the students. This special event is designed to help law students become more familiar with appellate court procedure and arguments. The public and the media are invited to attend this session. Court rules regarding expanded media coverage apply.

The court will hear arguments in two cases:

• State v. Musser, a criminal case that involves a person with HIV who was convicted of exposing four women to the disease.
• State v. Hajtic, a criminal case involving issues such as the use of the defendant’s 14-year-old-sister as an interpreter for his mother and the question of whether the defendant’s Miranda waiver was valid.

The hearing at Drake is part of the Law School’s annual Supreme Court Celebration, which also will include a speech by Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady to a class of legal writing and research students about professionalism and ethics in the practice of law. The class will start at 11 a.m. Friday, March 10, in room 213 of Cartwright Hall, 27th Street and Carpenter Avenue.

The Supreme Court Celebration also includes a moot court competition in which four law student finalists will present oral arguments to the court at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 11, in the Iowa Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Ave. The celebration culminates that evening with a banquet honoring the court, students and alumni. Justin Webb, BBC Radio’s chief Washington correspondent, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet, which will start with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Downtown Marriott. Banquet tickets are $60 per person and $25 per student. For reservations, call (515) 271-1877.

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