Educational Visit

 

 

An Invitation: The Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, invites area high school and junior high teachers to bring students to the Court to learn about the judicial system.  Students may be able to witness a live oral argument in the State Courts Building and meet with one or more judges after oral argument to discuss the Court, the role of a judge, and any questions the students may have (although judges cannot discuss pending cases).


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Scheduling a Visit


To learn more or schedule a visit to the Court of Appeals, please complete a Request for Educational Visit form here.

 

The Court holds oral arguments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The Court’s calendar, which includes oral arguments scheduled up to one month in advance, can be found here. Educational visits scheduled on days with no live oral arguments may still include a viewing of a recorded oral argument and a visit with one or more judges and staff.


Educational visits typically begin around 9 a.m. and conclude by noon.


Court personnel will provide directions and parking information prior to the visit. If the visit includes viewing oral argument in a case, the briefs related to the case may be provided in advance of the visit.


For questions regarding an educational visit, please contact [email protected]

Request for Educational Visit Forms are processed as they are received. If the Court is unable to accommodate requests, the requestor will be notified.  Given courtroom size limitations, there is a limit of participants per visit, including students, teachers, and chaperones. The Court’s schedule is subject to change, sometimes on short notice. In conjunction with oral argument at the Court, teachers also may wish to arrange separately for their students to visit the Arizona State Legislature( https://www.azleg.gov) or tour the Arizona Capitol Museum (https://azlibrary.gov/azcm/plan-your-visit)
 

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What To Expect During Your Visit

 

  1. All persons entering the building must undergo a security screening, which will require them to remove belts, remove items from pockets and wrists, and pass through a metal detector.  Individuals may be subject to a search, including personal belongings.

 

  1. Cell phones must be turned off before entering the courtroom.

 

  1. The address to the Arizona State Courts building is: 1501 W. Washington Street. Phoenix, AZ 85007.  However, the main public entrance is located on the south side of the building. (Jefferson and 15th Avenue).  A parking map can be found here. 

 

  1. No weapons are allowed in the building.  This includes but is not limited to firearms, knives, needles, tasers, lighters, etc.

 

  1. No food or drink, except water, is permitted in the courthouse.

 

  1. Running, yelling, or loud talking in the building is not permitted, especially when oral arguments are in session.

 

  1. Smoking is prohibited in all court and government buildings.  Smoking is permitted outside in designated smoking areas.

 

  1. Attendees must not leave anything behind in the courtroom.

 

  1. If you require an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accommodation to enter the building, please contact the ADA Coordinator at (602) 452 – 6708.

 

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Educational Visit Schedule
 

Upon arrival, the visit coordinator will greet the visitors and escort them to the designated courtroom for the oral argument. All persons entering the courtroom will need to silence their phones to prevent any disruption during the oral argument. After the oral argument ends, students may have an opportunity to speak to law clerks and judges.  Specifics of each visit are determined in advance of the visit by the requestor and the visit coordinator

 

Note that the judges cannot discuss pending cases.

 

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Courtroom Decorum

 

  1. Silence all cell phones prior to entering the courtroom.
  2. No talking while the Court is in session.
  3. No food, drinks (except for water), open containers, or gum are allowed inside the courtroom.

 

Additional rules for courtroom conduct can be found here.

 

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What Is An Oral Argument?
 

An oral argument is a chance for the parties, usually through their lawyers, to talk directly to the panel of judges who will decide their case.  The arguments are open to the public and recorded.

 

Before the argument, the judges read the parties’ appellate briefs and discuss the case privately together.  The judges then meet the parties in a courtroom for the oral argument.

 

Each side of the case generally has 20 minutes to speak. The appellant goes first. The appellee follows. The appellant may reserve a portion of the time to speak again after the appellee. The judges may ask questions at any time during the oral argument. Often, an oral argument looks more like a discussion between the judges and the lawyers than a presentation by the lawyers.

 

For more information about where to watch oral argument recordings and livestreaming options, please click here.