Written By: Brenna Large
On February 10th in Emens Auditorium, the court was called into session by Ball State University Legal Studies Student Katherine Huddleston. Appeals on Wheels had officially arrived at Ball State.
Appeals on Wheels: Traveling Oral Arguments is a program from the Indiana Judicial Court, where Hoosiers can learn more about the important role of the judiciary in Indiana’s government. Typically occurring at educational institutions like high schools and colleges, these traveling oral arguments are just like oral arguments in the Court’s Statehouse courtroom. The court is called into session, the judges enter, and lawyers for the parties present their arguments to the judges.
The unique twist for Appeals on Wheels, beyond taking place in a different location, is that after the arguments, the judges entertain questions about the law and the judiciary. Attendees at the event were also provided with a Case at a Glance, a study guide that included the case synopsis and biographies of the presiding judges.
At Emens, students and other audience members saw the Indiana Court of Appeals case, T.W. v. State of Indiana. In this case, according to the State, “T.W. was found to be a delinquent child after the juvenile court determined that he had committed what would otherwise be a criminal act, dangerous possession of a firearm, in violation of Indiana Code section 35-47-10-5. On appeal, T.W. contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the delinquent finding. Specifically, T.W. contends that the State failed to prove that he possessed a firearm. For its part, the State contends that the evidence is sufficient to sustain the trial court’s delinquency determination.” When the outcome is decided, it will be shared to mycase.IN.gov.
The panelists for the case were Judges Cale J. Bradford, Dana J. Kenworthy, and Paul A. Felix. For the Ball State Community, it was exciting to welcome Judge Kenworthy back to campus. She is an alumna of the university and the Ball State University Honors College Program, graduating in 1998 with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She went on to get her JD from Indiana University McKinney School of Law. She was appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb to the Court of Appeals in December 2022.
Following the conclusion of the oral arguments, attendees were able to ask questions about the judiciary of the panel of judges, as well as the attorneys from the case. Select students also got to attend a luncheon with the court, getting the opportunity to connect with them and learn more about their individual journeys from attorney to judge.
This amazing opportunity was organized by the Department of Political Science and Professor Kate Guerrero (below), who is currently the Director of the Legal Studies program and an Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science.
For more exciting events from the Department of Political Science, follow them on Instagram at @ballstatepolisci