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PA Supreme Court Hosts Teachers Institute on the Judiciary in Scranton Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin to Talk to Area Teachers about theCourt System

April 06, 2011

be in Scranton on Thursday, April 7, to talk to area teachers as part of a Teachers Institute on the Judiciary. Media coverage of the sessions is invited. The Teachers Institute will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Courtroom 2 of the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 235 North Washington Avenue, Scranton. The agenda is at the end of this advisory. Teachers from seven local school districts, Intermediate Unit 19, MMI Preparatory School and the University of Scranton (see attached list) are expected to attend an intensive and interactive day of learning and discussion about the state and federal courts and constitutions. Opening remarks will be provided by Justice Eakin and U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Thomas J. Vanaskie. Conference highlights include an 11 a.m. mock Supreme Court argument that will include teachers in the roles of justices, sitting with Justice Eakin, Judge Vanaskie, Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens, Lackawanna County Common Pleas Court Judge Chester T. Harhut and Lackawanna County Magisterial District Judge Alyce H. Farrell. Another feature will be a roundtable discussion at 9:45 a.m. titled, “Judges on Judging” moderated by Senior Judge of Superior Court James J. Fitzgerald III. It will feature the jurists listed above, except President Judge Thomas J. Munley will represent the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. The goal of the conference is to promote and encourage greater emphasis on civics education in the classroom and to foster a better understanding of the role of courts and the judiciary in a democratic society. The Institute is jointly sponsored by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Commission on Judicial Independence, the Pennsylvania Coalition for Representative Democracy (PennCORD), the National Constitution Center and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. This is the fifth Institute and the first held in northeastern Pennsylvania. School Districts Participating in The Teachers Institute on the Judiciary Montrose Area School District Blue Ridge School District Wallenpaupack Area School District Scranton School District Elk Lake School District Lakeland School District Dunmore School District Intermediate Unit 19 MMI Preparatory School University of Scranton Agenda 8:30 a.m. Registration and Pre-test 9 a.m. Welcome and Introduction by Justice J. Michael Eakin and Judge Thomas J. Vanaskie 9:10 a.m. Warm-Up Exercise 9:45 a.m. Roundtable: Judges on Judging 10:45 a.m. Break 11 a.m. Mock Pennsylvania Supreme Court Argument 12:15 p.m. Lunch 1 p.m. Changing Roles: The Old, Modern and Contemporary Courts and their Impact on Federalism 2:45 p.m. Evaluation and Post-test