Educational Outreach

Open Doors to Federal Courts

District of Minnesota

The cornerstone of the federal courts' national outreach program is the annual Open Doors to Federal Courts initiative and the teacher institutes that support it. Judges from all Circuits reach thousands of high school students and their teachers every year.

The theme for the 2007-2008 academic year is The Fourth Amendment: Protection Against Unreasonable Search and Seizure. The program stimulates thinking about the Fourth Amendment in general and, specifically, as applied by the Supreme Court in Scott v. Harris (2007). The case centers on a high-speed police chase of a 19-year-old driver whose car ultimately crashed, leaving him a quadriplegic. The materials include a video of the police chase and crash. The video was entered into evidence at the lower courts.

Teachers who would like their high school seniors to participate in the 2007-2008 Open Doors courtroom simulation presided over by a federal judge and supported by local attorneys, should e-mail Rebecca Fanning, National Outreach Manager, to find out if a nearby federal court is available to offer the program.

The ultimate objective of Open Doors to Federal Courts is to increase willing participation in jury service by exposing young people to the human face of the justice system, breaking down barriers, and providing a positive introduction to the jury experience. Every courtroom simulation has a jury component that involves every student.

Open Doors to Federal Courts centers on the full participation of judges, lawyers, students, and teachers. The topics include such issues as the role of federal courts in balancing liberties and safety in terrorism cases; the teen death penalty; intellectual property issues surrounding downloading music and movies; a search at a teen house party; wiretapping and cell phone use; and limits on student newspapers.

In the courtroom simulations the host judge applies the law, the adult and student lawyers serve as advocates, and the student jury considers the facts to demonstrate the vital partnerships in the judicial process. The program allows students to see and experience the different responsibilities of each role.