The visit was part of Courts in the Community, an initiative marking its 40th anniversary. The state’s appellate courts travel beyond their downtown Denver courthouse in the spring and fall to hear arguments in real cases and meet with students.

Overland students in the Cherry Creek School District’s criminal justice and law program received materials on the cases about a month before the visit. Their teacher, Antoinette Gifford, said the class read legal briefs, prepared arguments for both sides and held a moot court, with students taking turns as judges.

The cases concerned whether a senior-living facility operator could receive insurance benefits for COVID-related property damage and whether Colorado’s motor vehicle theft law is constitutional. In the insurance dispute, students focused on the operator’s having paid millions of dollars in premiums but being denied coverage, Gifford said.

After the arguments, students lined up to ask the attorneys about preparing for court. David K. TeSelle, who represented the plaintiffs in the insurance case, recommended practicing with friends, family or colleagues who can raise unexpected questions. Kannon K. Shanmugam, who argued for the opposing side, urged students to examine not only legal precedents that support their position but also the parts that could hurt it.

The lawyers in the criminal case also described the pressure of answering judges’ questions. Prosecutor Tanya A. Karimi recalled seeing her heart rate spike on a watch during a previous argument. Public defender Julia Chamberlin said preparation is meant to reduce the chance of being caught off guard.

Students also asked justices about changes in their personal and professional lives after joining the court. Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez said she had to rebuild her social circle after leaving the attorney general’s office, because maintaining friendships with lawyers who appeared before the court could create conflicts of interest.

Justice Susan Blanco, who joined the court in March, discussed the process for selecting state judges. Citizen-led commissions screen applicants and recommend candidates to the governor. Blanco said the process can feel intimidating for people without political connections and requires applicants to explain what distinguishes them.

Justice William W. Hood III said the work of trying to identify the right answer can spill into everyday life, including conversations with family.

Overland Principal Sybil Booker said teachers had put the school forward for the visit; the Court of Appeals had visited five years earlier. Booker praised students’ preparation and engagement. For the first time, Márquez also presented participating teachers and staff with specially designed challenge coins.

Senior River Childers said students were asked to weigh the evidence and consider both sides of each case. Junior Jihan Hassan was especially interested in how COVID-19 affected the insurance dispute, though the quick exchanges between lawyers and justices could be difficult to follow.

The visit gave students a chance to observe appellate arguments up close and ask the people involved how courts make decisions—an experience they had first rehearsed in their own classroom.