UB law students may soon be able to witness court proceedings on the town, state and federal level without having to leave O'Brian Hall.
The UB School of Law has invited a therapeutic drug court from Amherst, as many as two State Supreme Court Judges and a number of federal magistrates to hold proceedings in the recently completed state-of-the-art courtroom, located on the first floor of O'Brian Hall.
While no dates are final and official agreements have not been drawn up, tentative arrangements have been reached and proceedings should begin as early as November, said R. Nils Olsen, dean of the law school.
"(The courtroom) marries the educational contexts of the law school with the judicial proceedings that are going on at the same time," said Olsen.
According to Olsen, law students will learn the theory in class, see it in motion and be able to interact with the judge about the legal contexts of the proceedings. It is an experience that no other law students in the country have, he said.
Administrators hope that actual trials will become a regular part of the law students' curriculum.
"(The proceedings) will be in a specific academic area, so that we can offer a course in connection with the actual judicial proceedings," Olsen said.
"I can't wait," Heather DeCastro, a first-year law student, said. "We'll be able to put real world proceedings under the microscope."
According to Olsen, the courtroom at UB is as nice as any in the area. Aside from the main hall - complete with spectator benches and a jury box - there is a jury deliberation room, judges' chambers, and rooms for lawyers and other court staff.
Law students will not be the only beneficiaries of the new courtroom - judicial proceedings are public functions, so anyone who wants to observe the legal system in action will be able to do so.
"This will be a wonderful learning experience for students planning to get into law," said Jacob Becker, a sophomore.
According to Olsen, an agreement has been reached with Amherst justice Mark G. Farrell, who runs the first suburban drug treatment court in the United States, to hold proceedings in the O'Brian courtroom.
Olsen said Farrell's proceedings would also be of interest to those pursuing degrees in social work, since Farrell's court deals more with implementing treatment for addictions rather than enforcing criminal punishments.
The law school also hopes to host U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott, who presides over the Western District of New York. Scott conducted a weeklong jury trial at UB last year.
The administrative work necessary to move entire courtrooms is immense, Olsen said. The proceedings of federal magistrates, especially, require high security and are protected by the U.S. Marshals service.
According to Olsen, the law school is also pursuing State Supreme Court judges to conduct their business at UB's courtroom on a weekly basis.
by George Zornick, Staff Writer
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
