Watching a court case unfold on television is one thing, but sitting inside a real courtroom is a completely different experience. For students in Mr. Niederberger’s Law and Justice classes, a trip to the Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh offered a chance to observe court proceedings firsthand.
“The reason I offer this field trip is that it encapsulates everything that we discuss and cover in class,” Niederberger said. “These are real-life scenarios. For some students, this is a way of job shadowing and they can see if going into law is an avenue they would want to pursue later in life.”
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For some students, this is a way of job shadowing and they can see if going into law is an avenue they would want to pursue later in life.
— Mr. Niederberger, NASH social studies teacher
The trips took place on October 13 and October 20. The first 20 spots, which cost five dollars each, filled up before first period even started. Since so many students wanted to attend, Niederberger added a second date, and those spots filled up quickly, too.
“While I wanted to go, I have AF-JROTC first thing in the morning at NAI, so I sadly wasn’t able to make the list,” senior Max Kemerer said.
Before entering the courthouse, students were required to dress appropriately for the visit. Niederberger told students that anyone who did not meet the dress code would have to stay at school.
Once inside, students split into three groups and visited different courtrooms. They observed proceedings involving domestic violence and probation violations, giving them a closer look at the types of cases handled by the court.
One group also observed a hearing in a murder case, where an attorney was seeking to block specific evidence from being used at trial. Students saw how attorneys presented legal arguments and how quickly some hearings could move from one issue to the next.
“It was cool to see how it worked in real life instead of on TV, but the guy on trial was oddly happy even though he was losing,” senior Tyler Croyle said.
Senior Austin Isner also enjoyed seeing court proceedings in person and noticing how quickly some cases moved.
“I’d definitely recommend it because it was just a cool experience to get to see,” Isner said.
(photo courtesy of NA Transportation Dept. of students who attended the second field trip)
Senior Billy Freiburg said the trip was interesting and entertaining. He enjoyed seeing how courtroom procedures worked, including how individuals in custody were brought into the courtroom and how the judge responded to different situations during the proceedings.
“I’d definitely recommend the trip to anyone trying to really learn about the law, how court works, and the environment in which court is conducted,” Freiburg said.
Niederberger also shared a story from a previous courthouse trip when a defendant happened to be a North Allegheny graduate. During that visit, the judge invited the defendant to turn around and speak to the students.
“The judge had her face the students and talk about how she made bad decisions in her life,” Niederberger said. “It was powerful for everyone there and a reminder that we all need to make good decisions because everything we do has consequences, good or bad.”
After leaving the courthouse, students stopped in Pittsburgh’s Strip District to eat lunch before heading back to school.
Niederberger’s students will have another opportunity to learn about the justice system outside the classroom on an upcoming trip to Allegheny County Jail. Just like the tript court, all spots have already been filled.