Massachusetts Appeals Court Sitting
Event Details
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Campus Center
1 Campus Center Way
Amherst MA 01003
Free
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is pleased to host a sitting of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. The campus community and general public are invited to observe arguments.
Campus Center 163C
ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS APPEALS COURT
The Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court in the Massachusetts judicial system. It is composed of twenty-five justices who decide over 1,000 cases each year. Three justices preside as a "panel" hearing oral arguments presented by attorneys and parties in criminal and civil appeals involving a range of legal questions. Learn more about the Appeals Court here.
ABOUT ORAL ARGUMENTS
At oral argument, the attorneys for each side of a case argue the legal issues before a panel consisting of three justices. Each side of the case has 15 minutes to argue. During the 15 minutes, the justices may pose questions to the attorneys. During a typical oral argument session, the panel of justices hears six cases, usually three criminal and three civil.