The Texas Twelfth Court of Appeals will hear Oral Arguments at the Smith County Bar Foundation’s annual Constitution Day event to be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The event will be held in the Apache Rooms of Rogers Student Center, located on the Tyler Junior College main campus.
The Twelfth Court of Appeals consists of Chief Justice James T. Worthen, Justice Brian Hoyle and Justice Greg Neeley.
Chief Justice Worthen will present a view of the Texas courts of appeal and how this court is an important part of the celebration of Constitution Day.
The Justices will hear arguments in two cases. The first case is a 2nd Amendment, right-to-carry case 12-19-00028-CR Ex Parte: Martin Reynolds, Jr. The second involves a leaky pipeline and 23 dead cows 12-19-00010-CV American Midstream Gas Solutions, LP v. Thomas & Heather Hall.
Admission is free, but reservations are required due to limited seating. No backpacks or recording of the proceedings are allowed, and cell phones must be on silent.
Constitution Day is a federal holiday commemorating the signing of the United States Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787 and recognizing all persons who, by birth or naturalization, have become citizens of the United States. The law creating the present form of Constitution Day was passed by Congress in 2004.
Shannon Dacus, president of the Smith County Bar Foundation, recently explained why the foundation chooses to mark this special day each year. She said, “The purposes for observing Constitution Day align perfectly with the mission of the Smith County Bar Foundation which exists to further justice and the rule of law in Smith County, Texas by educating and serving its citizens.”
Dacus added, “The Smith County Bar Foundation is very pleased to have the Twelfth Court hear Oral Arguments and invites students from local high schools and universities to attend and participate in this rare opportunity to see the court and hear Oral Arguments with them.”
Past speakers to Tyler to commemorate Constitution Day include Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; former U.S. Solicitor General Kenneth Starr; Michael Morton, a man wrongfully imprisoned for almost 25 years for a murder he did not commit; Texas Supreme Court Justice, Eva Guzman, and last year the Honorable Carl E. Stewart, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
For more information, visit www.smithcountybar.com or call 903-526-2700.