Connecting with the Community
 

Community Involvement

Along with their service on the Court, Division One judges and employees are involved in and speak at a variety of other law-related educational programs, including serving as adjunct law professors and writing law-related articles. They also are members of and serve in leadership roles in various law-related and other organizations nationwide, statewide and locally. These organizations include the American Law Institute, the American Bar Association, the American Bar Foundation, the Uniform Law Commission, the Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal, the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks, the Court Information Technology Officers Consortium, the Society for Human Resources Management, the National Association of Court Management, the Institute of Court Management, the Arizona Judicial Council, Arizona Supreme Court Committees, Commissions and Task Forces, the State Bar of Arizona, the Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, the Arizona Judges Association, Arizona’s Forensic Science Advisory Committee, and Inns of Court as well as various civic and charitable organizations.   

Division One is fortunate to have generous judges and employees who reach out to the community when not performing Court duties. Many judges and employees support local shelters and civic organizations with monetary and other donations. Judges and employees frequently visit with school groups during tours of the Court, and the Court has welcomed students from numerous schools to observe oral arguments.

Recent Oral Arguments held Off-Site

Click here for case summaries and oral argument recordings for recent oral arguments that were held as part of the Court’s Connecting with the Community Program

On-Site High School Program

Since 2002, Division One has scheduled oral arguments each year at high schools around the state. The Court provides students with the briefs ahead of time, then works with volunteer lawyers to organize discussion sessions in the weeks leading up to the argument. After the oral argument (typically held in the school auditorium), judges, attorneys, law clerks, school administrators, and teachers meet with the students to answer questions about the judicial process and careers in the legal profession. The Court typically works with the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education and with a local or specialty bar association to put on the program. Superior court judges, local elected officials, teachers, and school district leaders have been generous with their time in attending these sessions. After the Court issues its decision, the Court transmits it to the school for review and discussion by the students.   The program has been highly successful, as schools welcome opportunities for their students to observe the appellate process in action. In 2005, the Arizona Supreme Court recognized the program with its “Justice for a Better Arizona Achievement Award.” Judge Kent E. Cattani chairs the Court’s Connecting with the Community Committee.   

Over the years, Division One has held oral arguments and associated educational programs involving the following high schools:

Cesar Chavez High School (2002)
South Mountain High School (2002)
Central High School (2003) 
Carl Hayden High School (2004) 
Highland High School (2004) 
Horizon High School (2005) 
Queen Creek High School (2005) 
Marcos De Niza High School (2006) 
Dysart High School (2006) 
South Mountain High School (2007) 
Cesar Chavez High School (2007) 
Shadow Mountain High School (2008) 
Centennial High School (2008) 
Agua Fria High School (2009) 
Perry High School (2009) 
Maryvale High School (2010) 
Mesa High School (2010)
Moon Valley High School (2011) 
Coronado High School (2011)
Arizona School for the Arts (2012)
Lee Williams High School (Kingman) (2013)
North Canyon High School (2013)
McClintock High School (2014)
Sandra Day O'Connor High School (2014)
Mountain View High School (2015)
Verrado High School (2015)
Kingman High School (2016)
Shadow Mountain High School (2016)
Lake Havasu High School (2017)
Verrado High School (2018)

Phoenix College Preparatory Academy (2022)

Girls Leadership Acadaemy of AZ (2022)

Franklin High School (2022)

Arizona School for the Arts (2022)

Coconino High School (2022)

Acadamies at South Mountain (2023)

Maryvale High School (2023)

Trevor Browne High School (2023)

School Visits to the Court
The Court also encourages teachers to bring classes to the Court to observe Oral Argument. More information on arranging a visit can be found here.