On March 6, 2018, a group of Raza students attended the oral argument at the Supreme Court of California. We were able to hear three cases argued both by private and government attorneys. One of the cases focused on conditions imposed after bond. The second case dealt with the scope of habeas corpus jurisdiction in order to make a record of “mitigating evidence tied" to youth.
For some of us, this was the first time we had watched oral arguments. It was fascinating to see the various strategies employed by the attorneys. It became clear to us what made an attorney an effective advocator and what behavior we should stray away from.
After some lunch, we were invited to Justice Cuéllar's chambers where we were able to ask sit down and have a discussion about what it is like to be a judge. Justice Cuéllar spoke on the difficulty of getting everybody to agree and the understanding he has gained through his role as a judge.
