Chilean Delegation Observes Criminal Trial Motion to Suppress Evidence

SchneiderOn Thursday morning, October 1,  the Chilean students participated in a mediation training on foreclosure hosted by MULS Professors Andrea Schneider and Natalie Fleury.  Afterwards, they met with Professor Schneider who, with the help of attorney and translator Cynthia Herber, did a great job keeping up with their many questions. The students found it remarkable that mediation has become a regular feature of the U.S. legal system, and asked how this came about. Professor Schneider explained that the participation of judges, who refer litigants to this resource, has made mediation a more regular feature of resolving conflicts.

In the afternoon, the students visited the Milwaukee Courthouse, and received a tour by Felony Court Coordinator Mary Jo Swider, including a stop to observe the intake court in action. Commissioner Julia E. Vosper came out to greet the group and give them a brief explanation of this first steps in the criminal justice process:  verifying the probable cause basis for the arrest, setting bail and scheduling a trial date. The students were stunned when one man was escorted into the courtroom handcuffed and wearing the orange prison garb. This condition did not seem to correspond to his crime for driving without a license.

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Chilean Delegation Learns About the “Safe Streets” Program and Participates in a Circle

chiloe 1On Wednesday, the Chilean students began their day with Professor Irene Calboli, who spoke to them about the experience of being trained in a civil law tradition only then to work in a common law system.   The students also discovered a common interest in patent law and the conversation soon turned to that topic.

The Hurtado students then met individually with professors on their research topics.  

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Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson Greets Chilean Delegation

chileYesterday was another full day for the Chilean students visiting from Hurtado University Law School.  In the morning, alumn Reyna Morales gave a talk in Spanish on criminal procedure and law.  Afterwards,  MULS Professors Tom Hammer, Michael O’Hear, Chad Oldfather, Dan Blinka, and Greg O’Meara, S.J., participated in a Q&A panel.  The Chilean students came prepared with a range of questions dealing with the types of legal defenses available to defendants, the rights of juveniles, and issues of due process in Guantanamo, among other topics.

In the afternoon, we drove to Madison to visit Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson at the State Capitol, accompanied by former Supreme Court Justice and MULS professor Janine Geske.  The Chief Justice greeted the delegation in the hallways of the Capitol, and then invited the members to sit in the Supreme Court Hearing Room to offer an overview of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s work.  With warm humor, the Chief Justice then answered the many questions that the Chilean students posed.

One student asked if the justices are ever influenced by their political affiliations when they write their decisions.  The Chief explained that they do not work as Democrats or Republicans, but rather as “reasonable” people.  That said, the students were curious about the election process and how judges are selected.  The Chief Justice noted that she has sat on the bench for more than 30 years and joked that she plans on running in 2019, but unopposed.  She clarified that, unlike other political campaigners, the judicial candidates only promise to uphold the law.  She then turned to point to the mural above the bench of the founding fathers signing our national Constitution.  The image is there to remind us that the justices take an “oath of office” to uphold the highest law.  The Chief escorted the group to the conference room, where she shared the process for selecting who would write the majority opinion:  chess pieces!

The Wisconsin Law Journal covered the event, so stay tuned for pictures.

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