Penn Law Students Listen In On Pa. Superior Court's On-campus Court Appeals
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A three-judge Pennsylvania Superior Court panel listened to appeals arguments Tuesday in an unusual place, a mock courtroom at Penn.
The judges heard arguments in about 20 cases ranging from criminal (the outgrowth of a mugging on Kensington Avenue) to a civil complaint over a building sold "as is" that was immediately ordered demolished.
One of the reasons Superior Court meets in different venues is for the benefit of law students, and two of Penn's, Stephan Rihs and Benjamin Schiller, learned something.
Rihs, though noting that these were not trials with witnesses and evidence, said, "but I think it also makes it interesting because it's actually closer to what we learn in class, what we discuss."
"The students in the court were able to hear the substantive arguments, but they were also able to hear the arguments made on appeal and whether the court was properly administered initially," explained Schiller.
The Superior Court has already held sessions this year in Northampton, Beaver and Chester counties.
