Massachusetts Appeals Court returns to UMass Law for fifth annual visit

Annual court session gives students at the Commonwealth’s only public law school a firsthand look at appellate advocacy

The Massachusetts Appeals Court returned to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School of Law (UMass Law) on Tuesday, Oct. 6, marking the fifth consecutive year the court has held a session on campus.

Associate Justices Kathryn E. Hand, Marguerite T. Grant, and Paul Hart Smyth heard oral arguments inside UMass Law's Francis J. Larkin Moot Court Room as part of the court's ongoing effort to broaden public awareness, understanding, and accessibility of the Massachusetts court system.

"For five years now, this annual visit has given our students an opportunity to see the law they study every day come to life right here on campus," said UMass Law Dean Eric Mitnick. "Experiences like this are an important part of preparing students for practice and reflect our commitment as the Commonwealth's public law school to connecting legal education with the courts and communities we serve."

The three-judge panel heard six cases—three criminal and three civil—covering issues including search and seizure, probation, driver's license suspension, civil rights claims, and a commercial lease dispute.

Following oral arguments, students had the opportunity to interact with the justices and learn more about the appellate process, legal careers, and public service.

"Experiences like this are an important part of preparing students for practice and reflect our commitment as the Commonwealth's public law school to connecting legal education with the courts and communities we serve."

For UMass Law students, the annual visit provides a firsthand look at appellate advocacy, from how attorneys present their cases and respond to questions from the bench to how judges engage with the legal issues before them.

"There is a real difference between reading an appellate opinion in class and watching the arguments that help shape one," said Assistant Dean for Public Interest Law John Quinn. "Students get to see experienced attorneys respond to questions from the bench, adjust their arguments in real time, and advocate for their clients. That kind of exposure is an invaluable complement to what they learn in the classroom."

The Appeals Court is Massachusetts' intermediate appellate court and hears criminal, civil, and administrative matters. Three-justice panels hear appeals from the Trial Court and several administrative bodies, and the Appeals Court serves as the court of last resort for the overwhelming majority of Massachusetts litigants seeking appellate relief.