Students and the public will be able to witness the State Court of Appeals in action at Piedmont University later this month. The court will hear oral arguments on eight cases on the Demorest campus.
The public hearings begin at 10 a.m. on August 29 in the Swanson Center for the Performing Arts and Communications.
Three of the court’s 15 judges, representing Division 5, are scheduled for the proceedings. They include presiding Judge Christopher J. McFadden, Chief Judge Amanda H. Mercier, and Judge Brian Rickman, the former district attorney for Habersham, Stephens, and Rabun counties.
“This event will help students interested in the law to see its application in the real world. They will witness how lawyers, judges, and petitioning parties use the law to pursue their interests. They will also have the chance to meet the judges, giving them a personal connection and the ability to ask questions to gain a better understanding of what a legal career looks like,” said Dr. Tony Frye, associate dean of humanities and social sciences.
Frye adds, “This is a fantastic opportunity for both Piedmont University and our students, and I am grateful to the leadership of the university and courts for giving it to us.”
The appellate court held proceedings on the Tallulah Falls School campus in Habersham County in March 2023.
The Court of Appeals is Georgia’s intermediate appellate court, with fifteen judges who serve in panels of three in five divisions. Oral arguments are not heard in all cases. The parties must ask to be heard, and the Court grants only about a third of the requests.
Admission to the Piedmont event is free, and the public is welcome to attend.
The Swanson Center for Performing Arts and Communications is located at 365 College Avenue, Demorest, GA 30535.
