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The University of Massachusetts Amherst will host oral arguments to the Massachusetts Appeals Court on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Room 163C of the Campus Center. Members of the public are invited to attend and witness the commonwealth’s judicial system in action.

Associate Justices Ariane D. Vuono, Joseph M. Ditkoff and Maureen E. Walsh will preside over the session. They will hold a special informal discussion following the arguments to answer students’ questions.

The Appeals Court, the intermediate appellate court in the Massachusetts judicial system, is composed of a chief justice and 24 associate 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.

Each side in a case has 15 minutes to argue, during which the justices may pose questions to the attorneys. In a typical oral argument session, the panel of justices hears six cases, usually three criminal and three civil.

The Appeals Court is conducting this off-site sitting as part of a continuing effort to broaden public awareness, understanding and accessibility of the Massachusetts court system. The session is sponsored and coordinated by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at UMass Amherst and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Appeals Court.

In accordance with court protocol, security guards will be stationed outside the courtroom checking bags.