Hundreds of students, including business law students from Kauaʻi Community College, watched the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court hear oral arguments in a case involving a former Coca-Cola Bottling Company employee. The April 2019 event, held in Kauaʻi CC’s Performing Arts Center, was part of the judiciary’s Courts in the Community program to provide students with opportunities to learn more about the judiciary’s role in government and in resolving disputes.
“This is just a fantastic venue,” said Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald. “We’re able to bring together students from across the island. Also, we’re very excited to have business law students here from Kauaʻi Community College.”
To prepare, students studied a curriculum developed by the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center and students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law. Kauaʻi CC business law instructor Robert Goldberg had his class prepare accordingly.
“After reading through the case … It’s actually way better in person, hearing it and feeling it,” said Kauaʻi CC student Shawn Marugame.
“Having the Supreme Court here, I was very excited,” said Kauaʻi CC student Kendra Hanohano. “I never would have known about it if I hadn’t been in our business law class here.”
Kauaʻi CC student Katie Jones said, “To actually see the process and get to meet the justices has been really exciting and kind of eye opening.”
Recktenwald said he hopes the program will “reaffirm people’s belief in the democratic process and the role of the courts in that process.”
—By Kelli Trifonovitch
