As part of LAWS, students from Richwood High School, Nicholas County High School, Webster County High School, New Life Christian Academy, and Glenville State College will attend a Supreme Court session at the Nicholas County Courthouse.

      The justices of West Virginia’s highest court will hear oral arguments in four cases. Students and their teachers will be divided into four groups, with each group hearing one case. Students will then meet for a question and answer session with the attorneys whose argument they observed. The students and their teachers are invited to join the Supreme Court for a luncheon at the former Nicholas County High School gym, sponsored by the community.

      Teachers whose classes are involved in LAWS attended a three-hour professional development session taught by Supreme Court staff and Nicholas County Circuit Judge Gary Johnson and Circuit Judge Jack Alsop of Webster, Gilmer, Clay, and Braxton counties on January 10 at the Nicholas County Courthouse. Teachers were provided with notebooks of materials to use in their classrooms, including suggested activities and LAWS handbooks for each student. Volunteer local attorneys have been visiting the classrooms of the students participating in LAWS to review the cases the students will hear. After the justices rule in the cases, the students will receive copies of the opinions.

      The following cases are scheduled for the LAWS docket: 1) James Dunlap, et al. v. Friedman’s, Inc., et al.; 2) State of West Virginia v. Ryan Farnsworth Scott; 3) Jessie L. Graham v. David A. Wallace, D.D.S., M.S.; and 4) Nick Wounaris, Jr. v. West Virginia State College.

      In the first case, plaintiffs appeal the circuit court's order dismissing their claims under the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act based on the statute of limitations. In the second case, defendant appeals the length of his sentence for uttering and transporting a controlled substance onto the grounds of a jail. In the third case, plaintiff appeals from an adverse jury verdict in the second trial of his dental negligence case. In the fourth case, plaintiff, a West Virginia State College administrator, appeals from an adverse jury verdict for wrongful termination.

      The arguments will begin at 10:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. Limited public seating is available. Members of the public also may watch and listen to the arguments over the Supreme Court Web site at www.state.wv.us/wvsca . Key parts of the LAWS educational materials are available on the Supreme Court Web site.

      The Supreme Court held the first annual LAWS program in Beckley in 1999. Other LAWS programs have been in Clarksburg, Huntington, and Wheeling.

      "The Court is excited about holding LAWS in Summersville this year. We think it is important to bring LAWS for the first time to students in a more rural area," Chief Justice Starcher said. Including this year’s session in Summersville, over 1,750 students have been educated about the court system through LAWS.

# # #