Velva High School students, led by teacher Ashley Peterson, visited the state capitol on April 20 and observed a live oral argument at the state Supreme Court. After the session, the students met with Chief Justice Lisa Fair McEvers and Justice Jerod Tufte to discuss their experiences and learn more about the judicial process.
The visit gave students an opportunity to see how oral arguments are conducted in the state’s highest court. The justices explained aspects of what the students had observed during their time in court.
During a question-and-answer session, students asked about topics such as work-life balance for judges and justices, reasons why a justice might recuse themselves from an argument, responsibilities of the chief justice, and how prior case law affects current decisions. Chief Justice Fair McEvers and Justice Tufte also described how many cases are heard each month by the Supreme Court and explained how opinions are written.
As of April 20, approximately twenty schools from across North Dakota have either visited the state Supreme Court or hosted a justice at their school. This reflects ongoing efforts to engage young people with civic institutions through educational visits.
Chief Justice Fair McEvers and Justice Tufte concluded by answering additional questions from Velva High School students about their roles on the bench.
