MN Supreme Court to visit Rock Ridge students on trip to Iron Range

VIRGINIA — The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments at Rock Ridge High School in October as part of its education outreach program.

The Supreme Court Traveling Oral Arguments program teaches students about Minnesota’s judicial system. It began in 1995, and the Court travels to two high schools each year. The Rock Ridge visit marks the 55th such event.

The Court will hear arguments in State of Minnesota vs. Ivan Contreras-Sanchez at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3.

The case involves the constitutionality of a search warrant in the case against the appellant, who was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder in Dakota County.

Afterward, the justices will answer student questions. In the afternoon, they’ll have lunch with student representatives and visit classrooms for one-on-one education sessions.

“The Supreme Court Traveling Oral Arguments program is one of the highlights of the year for justices — we love meeting students and introducing them to how the Court works,” stated Minnesota Chief Justice Natalie Hudson in a news release.

“The students always have excellent questions about the court system and often impress us with their insight.”

The program is only open to students and faculty, though it will be live-streamed on the Supreme Court website.

As part of its visit to the Iron Range, the Supreme Court will join local judges and the community for a dinner at Fortune Bay Resort on Oct. 2.

“We encourage members of the community—especially parents and students—to join us for the community dinner,” Hudson added. “It’s a good way to get to know us in an informal setting, ask questions and just enjoy each other’s company.”

The public can purchase tickets online until Sept. 23.