WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WVDN) – The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia will host approximately 200 Wayne County high school students on Wednesday, September 24, when it convenes to hear arguments at Spring Valley High School as part of its Legal Advancement for West Virginia Students (LAWS) civics education program.
The event begins at 10 a.m. and will feature oral arguments in two cases currently before the Court. In addition to Spring Valley High School students, students from Tolsia High School and Wayne County High School are expected to attend Wednesday’s event.
“The LAWS program is one of our favorite and most rewarding experiences we have as Supreme Court justices,” said Chief Justice William R. “Bill” Wooton. “An informed citizenry is the bedrock of our democracy, and the LAWS program allows us to bring the Court to our high school students so they can witness the judicial process unfold right before their eyes. It also allows us to interact with students, answer their questions and help them better understand how their government and legal system works.”
The Court conducts these LAWS program visits with schools around the state twice a year. Prior to the oral arguments, local attorneys and judicial officers visit the schools involved to explain the appellate process and to help students study the cases.
After each argument on Wednesday, the lawyers representing each side will take a few minutes to debrief the students on what they just witnessed and respond to questions. At the conclusion of the event, the justices will return to the auditorium and have a general question-and-answer session with the students followed by lunch with them in the cafeteria.
“We are honored to host the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia at Spring Valley High School,” said Wayne County Schools Superintendent Todd Alexander. “The LAWS program gives our students a front-row seat to the legal process and the chance to interact with justices and attorneys. It’s an experience that both educates and inspires our students to consider future careers in law and public service.”
Since the LAWS program was established in 1999, more than 8,000 students from 39 counties have participated. Wayne County will become the 40th county to have students participate in the program.
The cases scheduled for argument Wednesday are:
- 10:00 a.m.: Case No. 23-398: State of West Virginia v. Larry Glenn Wooten
- 10:50 a.m., Case No. 24-88: State of West Virginia v. Roderick Levi Howard
Additional information and briefs associated with the cases can be found on the arguments calendar page of the Supreme Court’s website located here: https://www.courtswv.gov/appellate-courts/supreme-court-of-appeals/current-docket/september.
In addition to being open to the public, the arguments will be live streamed on the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wvsupremecourt.
