Ian Juarez EDINBURG – For the first time in over a decade, the Texas Supreme Court Justices are visiting the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex.
The last time the Supreme Court Justices visited the Valley was back in 2012 when UTRGV was still UT-Pan American.
“Well, the judicial system of Texas belongs to the people of Texas,” said Evan Young, Texas Supreme Court Justice Place 9. “And I think it helps them understand the reason that we ask citizens to do that when they understand a little bit more about what the courts do.” … “I hope that those who come, especially the young people, the students will find that it’s less mysterious than they had thought.”
Young added that as a Supreme Court justice, whether the case is between two citizens or a massive high-level case, they must be treated with the same level of ‘seriousness.’
“We hear what the lawyers say,” Young said. “We’ll ask them hard questions. The students who come, the public who comes to hear us, will see that there are nine of us. We shoot questions one after the other. And that poor lawyer’s job is to try to answer one question before getting the next and persuasively answer them so that, that lawyer’s client’s position is well understood by the court.”… “Our job is to issue opinions that will be helpful. We hope in all 254 counties of Texas, the things that we say in our opinions provide rules that all other courts in Texas have to follow. So that’s why it’s really important that we get it right. If we get it wrong, that we’re messing up not just the one case that we’re deciding, but we’re messing up lots of other cases, and we don’t want to do that.”
Young added the oral argument will be held as a typical court hearing. However, afterwards the public will be invited to ask questions to the court justices.
The following cases will be discussed at the oral argument:
– Tex. General Land Office v. SaveRGV
– Cameron County v. SaveRGV
Elizabeth Cantu, managing member at Drummond Worthington Lawfirm, said they are co-hosting the event with UTRGV, and he said it is a “unique opportunity” for students and the public.
“So, your students would be able to sit and watch the process at play at the highest level,” Cantu said. “So, these cases have gone through the trial courts, the appellate courts, and now the highest court in the state.” … “And this is an opportunity for everyone to see that these are really people with real cases, and they’re representing other real people’s cases, and to do so in front of judges who are, at the end of the day, human beings.”
The oral argument is taking place Thursday, March 5 at the UTRGV Preforming Arts Complex, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.. The hearing begins at 9:30 a.m..
Results for the Supreme Court Justice’s opinions will be released on https://www.txcourts.gov/supreme in the following months.
