U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Oral Argument in Historic Courtroom; Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 2:30 pm

Dear all,

I’m very pleased to announce that the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has accepted the Law School’s invitation to conduct oral arguments in our Historic Courtroom. The panel, consisting of Judge Merritt, Judge Siler, and (UofM alum) Judge Donald will hear arguments in Andrew Thomas, Jr. v. Bruce Westbrooks, at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, November 2nd. A death penalty appeal, the case raises interesting issues related to the prosecutor’s duty to reveal exculpatory evidence, as well as the prosecutor’s duty if a witness testifies falsely. Briefs for the case may be found here.

This event is a first for our Law School, and a rare event for the Sixth Circuit. Although Sixth Circuit panels have sat in law schools in the past, they have not done so in recent years. Following the oral argument, the attorneys in the case have agreed to conduct a post-argument debriefing with the students. In addition, the judges on the panel have agreed to stay for a reception in our Scenic Reading Room, where students will be able to meet with the judges in a more informal setting.

I hope all will choose to attend this historic argument in our Historic Court Room. We, of course, realize that seating is limited, but the Sixth Circuit has granted permission to live stream the event within the building to ensure all have the opportunity to view the arguments.

We’re extremely grateful to the Sixth Circuit for accepting our invitation and hope all will take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to see one of our nation’s most prestigious courts in action.

Sincerely,

Dean Peter Letsou