Traveling court at schools is valuable for recruitment, education

Students, faculty and community members had a unique experience last month as the state's Eastern District Court of Appeals was in session at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

Michael Gardner, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District and a Notre Dame alum, said judges on the Court of Appeals have the opportunity to travel to high schools periodically and hold court. He said it's a wonderful learning experience.

Joining Judge Gardner was Presiding Judge James Dowd, Judge Kelly Broniec and Judge Christopher Limbaugh, a Cape Girardeau native and associate Circuit Court Judge from Cole County, Missouri. Limbaugh was invited by Gardner and appointed by the state's Supreme Court to sit with the court on this case.

Along with observing the case, which involved a dispute over a possible land purchase between siblings, Judge Gardner led a Q&A session with the audience. That session included a nod to future careers in law.

"You could be here," Judge Dowd said. "The road to becoming a successful lawyer or judge in the State of Missouri is wide open. Do not think that this could not be in your future. It could absolutely be in your future."

This was a great event for the students and community, and we do hope the court comes back again soon. These opportunities are beneficial for many reasons. First, it's an opportunity to expose young people to future careers. A career in law is not for everyone, but for many it's a lifelong dream and a fulfilling career. It's important to have good people, passionate about what they do, serving in all levels of the law. Secondly, it's key for everyone to understand just how our system of justice works. Classroom learning is important, but there's something about watching it in real life that brings home the point.

We applaud Chief Judge Gardner and the other judges on the Court of Appeals for coming to Notre Dame and speaking with the students.