UMass Amherst will host oral arguments to the Massachusetts Appeals Court on Monday, Nov. 13, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in Room 163 of the Campus Center. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to witness the commonwealth’s judicial system in action.

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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. During a typical oral argument session, the panel of justices hears six cases, usually three criminal cases and three civil.

Associate Justices William J. Meade, Sabita Singh and Paul Hart Smyth will preside over the session.

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

In accordance with court protocol, security guards will be stationed outside the courtroom checking bags. For members of the news media wishing to cover the proceedings, standard court coverage guidelines apply.