Court of Appeals coming to MoWest

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Area residents will get a unique opportunity to see the legal system in action at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

The Western District Court of Appeals for Missouri will hold public hearings starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Spratt Hall Room 101 on MoWest's campus.

The three-judge panel will consist of Judge Janet Sutton, Judge Gary Witt and Judge W. Douglas Thomson. The panel will hear oral arguments on four cases, according to a press release from MoWest.

Suzanne Kissock, an attorney and dean of the School of Business and Professional Studies at MoWest, said the appeals court is different from the lower court proceedings many people are familiar with.

“This event will allow the community to see up close and personal how the appellate court system works,” Kissock said. “It will educate the public about the analysis that goes into the review of lower court decisions.”

The court of appeals reviews cases already decided upon. The judge panel can render review decisions that include affirming the lower court’s decision, reversing the lower court's decision or remanding the case back to the lower court for additional actions.

The four cases being publicly reviewed at MoWest include a first-degree murder case, a parental rights case and a property dispute case. For each case, lawyers will present reasons for appeal and the panel of judges will render a decision.

“A trial in the traditional sense doesn’t happen at the appellate level,” Kissock said. “The focus of this part of the process is upon the legal doctrines and legal rulings of the cases in question.”

Judge Dan Kellogg, presiding judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in St. Joseph, is familiar with this process. He said the appeals court has been taking their process 'on the road' for quite some time, and he is glad St. Joseph can witness firsthand what is often an unseen aspect of the legal system.

“Watching the appellate court in action is something you don’t typically see on TV or in the movies,” Kellogg said. “This will be especially important for students enrolled in legal studies courses and those interested in a future in law.”

For more information, including a full description of the four cases to be reviewed, visit missouriwestern.edu/news.