February 25, 2025
SIU Simmons Law School to host Illinois Supreme Court arguments
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Simmons Law School will host the Illinois Supreme Court as justices hear oral arguments in two cases on March 18 in the Student Center.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for our students and the broader Southern Illinois community to witness the Illinois Supreme Court in action,” said Angela Upchurch, SIU Simmons Law School acting dean. “This experience provides students in our community with direct exposure to the judicial process, enhancing their education and inspiring future careers in law. We are honored to partner with the Illinois Supreme Court to bring this historic event to our campus.”
Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Thies said the state’s high court is “excited to continue its tradition of riding the circuit at Southern Illinois University.”
“We thoroughly enjoy visiting different parts of the state and holding court in front of hundreds of students who are likely observing the work we do for the first time,” she said. “It is important for these students to understand the court system and the role it plays in their lives.”
Arguments will start at 10 a.m. in the Student Center Ballrooms; closed circuit viewing will be available in the Student Center Auditorium and via livestream. More than 350 junior high and high school students from Cairo to Paris, Illinois, along with SIU law students are expected to attend.
A limited number of seats are available for the public. Those wishing to attend should RSVP for a reserved seat by March 12. Ballroom doors will open at 8:30 a.m. — those with reserved seating are asked to arrive early as all guests should be seated by 9:30 a.m. Backpacks and other large items or bags will not be allowed. A Q&A with Upchurch and First Circuit Judge Christy W. Solverson, the presiding judge in Jackson County, will follow oral arguments.
Cases focus on sentencing, child custody
In the first case, originating from Kendall County, state prosecutors are appealing a Second Judicial District appellate court ruling that vacated the mandatory minimum six-year sentence of a woman who pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide. The appellate court ordered the trial court to reconsider the sentence.
The second case concerns child custody, in which a father abducted his two children who were living with their mother in Slovakia and brought them to the Chicago area. A federal court ordered the father to return the children to their mother, and she was awarded attorney’s fees and other costs. The mother then sued the father’s mother and brother in state court, alleging that they conspired with the father to interfere with custodial rights. A trial court dismissed the mother’s lawsuit, and an appeals court agreed. The mother is appealing those decisions to the Illinois Supreme Court.
This program is sponsored by the Illinois Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and SIU Simmons Law School.