The Colorado Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases on May 1, 2006, in the auditorium of the Durango High School before an audience of high school students from Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio, Mancos, Pagosa Springs and Silverton high schools; EXCEL Charter School; and members of the public. The visit is provided through Courts in the Community, the Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals educational outreach program initiated on Law Day (May 1) in 1986.

The Courts in the Community program was developed to give Colorado high school students first-hand experience in how the Colorado judicial system actually works and illustrate how disputes are resolved in a democratic society. These are not mock trials. They are actual oral arguments from which rulings will be determined. The Court generally issues its rulings within three months of the arguments.

Colorado's supreme court justices will hear oral arguments in these two cases pending before the court:

05SC686, B.H. v. The People of the State of Colorado.The attorneys will debate whether the trial court gave notice under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 when it terminated the mother's rights in a dependency and neglect action.

05SC203, The People of the State of Colorado v. Patrick Allen Manzo. The Colorado Supreme Court will hear arguments on two issues to determine 1. Whether Colorado'straffic code offense of leaving the scene of an accident causing serious bodily injury is a public welfare strict liability offense for which there is no mental state requirement, and 2. Whether the felony offense of leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury requires knowing both involvement in an accident and that serious bodily injury has occurred.

The proceedings will begin with opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. on May 1. A question and answer session, allowing the students to ask questions of each of the attorneys, will follow the presentation of each case. At the conclusion of the second argument, the students will also be given the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with the supreme court justices. The public is invited to attend the arguments.

This year's Law Day arguments in Durango will also kick-off a year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of merit selection of judges. In November 1966, Colorado voters adopted an amendment to the state constitution changing how judges are selected. Merit selection was developed to remove judges from all forms of political activity including holding political office, making or receiving campaign contributions, endorsing political candidates and participating in political campaigns. May 1, 2006, through April 30, 2007, Colorado will celebrate the 40-year anniversary of merit selection of judges in Colorado.

Editor's note:

Additional information on the Courts in the Community program is available at http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/pubed/courtsinthecommunity.htm.

The documents related to the two cases are located at http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/pubed/lessonplans/lesspl5205.htm.

40th anniversary of merit selection resources can be found at http://www.courts.state.co.us/40/.