The Illinois Supreme Court held oral arguments at Northern Illinois University for the first time on Thursday.
It’s part of a tradition called “Riding the Circuit” where it holds court in different places around the state -- typically once a year.
Over 100 students, teachers & residents got to watch the arguments live, in person at NIU’s Holmes Student Center.
Heidi Frostestad is the associate dean for academic affairs at NIU’s College of Law. She says it’s a rare chance for people to see in person how courts decide significant legal questions.
“The highest courts really are the final decision, and move the needle on the law going forward,” she said. “In that sense, it provides signals to all of the lower courts on these important issues. What we're viewing could really change the sails and the winds, so to speak, of the law.”
The court heard arguments on two cases. One was an appeal involving potential new evidence from a 1991 murder case. The other was a case about attorney’s fees and rules of professional conduct for lawyers.
Alec Moehn, a third-year law student at NIU, also attended the arguments. He said he was fascinated by the back-and-forth between the attorneys and justices.
“You can glean a lot from what questions that the justices are asking and how the attorney is responding to it," he said. "What areas of focus they are focusing on? I always think it's really interesting, like, how are they going to respond to these arguments? And not only that, I always kind of put myself in the attorney's shoes — how would I respond to these arguments?”
Moehn said it’s a once-in-a-law school experience and also a reminder that the legal process is open to the public. You can attend all stages of criminal trials & watch the state supreme court either in Springfield or via live stream.
After the arguments, there was a Q&A with the attorneys and the public. The justices also met with local student groups afterward.
The high court typically “rides the circuit” around once a year. In 2023, they heard arguments at Chicago State University.
