On Saturday March 16, 2019, the DC Superior Court and the DC Bar co-hosted the Youth Law Fair (YLF) which took place at the Moultrie Courthouse. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the free day-long event, where local youth can come and gain familiarity with careers in law. Every year YLF picks a topic that is an area of the law that is relevant to local youth. In years past, YLF themes have included bullying, drugs, alcohol, and truancy, and the dangers of social media. This year’s theme was “Snatch, You Lose,” which centered on issues such as robbery, conspiracy, and fare evasion. Students attending were able to explore these themes through a mock-trial and discussion.

The day began with the youth checking in on the third-floor of the Moultrie Courthouse, where the event took place. There they were able to walk around to different tables, sponsored by organizations ranging from non-profits to the Justice Department, with information about various aspects of the law and legal system. Then students got a tour of courtrooms and talked to judges and asked them questions about their job. The opening Speak Out Session began in the Jurors' Lounge where Chief Judge Robert Morin introduced the new name of the Youth Law Fair. Starting in 2020, the event will be called the Melvin Wright Youth Law Fair, named after Judge Wright who created the event in 1999. Judge Wright returns every year to take part in the event. The keynote speaker was DC Attorney General Karl Racine, who gave an inspiring talk about his hero, Charles Hamilton Houston, a mentor to Justice Thurgood Marshall.

After the opening Speak Out Session, the students went into different courtrooms to start the mock trials. The trials involved a hypothetical case of three young people -- Amiro, Justin, and Carla -- who were riding the metro who ran off the car they were riding on. As they did this, a woman started yelling that someone had taken her cellphone. Several law enforcement officers were on duty near the exit, saw the students running and stopped them as one of them jumped the turnstile. The officers began questioning the students about why they were running and why one of them had jumped the turnstile. The officers then realized that the students were on the same train as the woman who had her phone stolen, and that she had noticed it just as the three students were exiting the car. Even though none of the youth had a phone in their possession as they spoke with law enforcement, the officers arrested all three for conspiracy and robbery, and charged Amiro, the student who had jumped the turnstile, with fare evasion.

In the courtroom, the students chose whether they wanted to take the role of one of the three students, the prosecutor, the witnesses, members of the jury, or the judge. Alongside the youth were volunteer attorneys, to help them know what to say and when, as well as what type of legal language should be used. In addition, a judge was present in each courtroom to advise the student who was playing the role of the judge in the mock trial. After closing arguments, the students who were jurors in each courtroom decided whether or not the defendants were guilty of the charges brought against them. Afterwards the judges lead a discussion about why the jurors came to the conclusion they did and if those in the audience, or those playing a different role, agreed. The day ended with a catered lunch and a closing Speak Out Session at which raffle winners were announced.

The Youth Law Fair is an engaging experience for youth of all ages, allowing them to consider a career in the law or justice system, but more important to think about how the legal system impacts them. All the attendees were bright students and asked engaging questions and answered difficult questions. They grasped the range of issues present in the mock trial and understood the charges brought against the fictional characters and why some of them were found not guilty and why others were not. The attendees – students, lawyers, judges and others – had an engaging and informative day. The 2019 Youth Law Fair was a success. We look forward to the 2020 Melvin Wright Youth Law Fair, which will take place March 21, 2020 and focus on the theme of poverty and hunger. Mark your calendars!