{"id":884,"date":"2019-07-17T18:18:58","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/statesupremecourt\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:18:58","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:58","slug":"statesupremecourt","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/statesupremecourt\/","title":{"rendered":"2011 State Supreme Court visits campus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 From due process and Facebook photos to hard, cold facts and admissible evidence, students in the Division of Justice and Law Administration<\/a> at Western learned from the highest court in the state what the legal world is really like.<\/p>\n

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As six justices from the State Supreme Court<\/a> filed into the university\u2019s Westside Campus Center Ballroom on October 19, 2011, several hundred people stood at attention \u2014 most of them WCSU students. With options in legal studies, paralegal studies, law enforcement, corrections and criminology, the JLA program offers more than 500 majors and teaches up to 2,000 students every year. <\/p>\n

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The court heard oral argument on two cases \u2014 one civil and one criminal \u2014 as part of an \u201cOn Circuit<\/a>\u201d program designed to give the public a better understanding of the justice system by hearing cases around the state. The appellate court usually hears cases in Hartford. <\/p>\n

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\u201cThe experience for the students took the cold, detached facts they read in many cases and brought to life the human element and a bit of drama involved in each of the arguments,\u201d said Terrence Dwyer, associate professor of JLA. \u201cThis experience was eye-opening for the students in that they were able to witness actual attorneys and judges working out the issues before them and the appropriate legal remedy to the matter before the court.\u201d<\/p>\n

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WCSU Professor of Legal Studies Charles Mullaney said this event was an educational opportunity for everyone to closely observe a prestigious judicial body and to enhance their understanding of the role and responsibilities of the often-mysterious appellate court system.<\/p>\n

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The civil case involved an elected town official who refused to perform her duties because of alleged environmental issues. After suing the town of Watertown in 2006, Town Clerk Virginia Stewart<\/a> was awarded more than $243,000. <\/p>\n

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The criminal case involved a violation of probation sentencing based on incriminating Facebook photos. Defendant Alia Altajir<\/a> is serving a three-year sentence in Niantic women\u2019s prison for a 2004 drunken driving accident that killed her 18-year-old friend Dustin Church of Branford. <\/p>\n

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\n In Altajir\u2019s case, defense attorney, Maura Buckley, argued that the Superior Court Judge violated her client\u2019s due process rights by allowing the prosecution to submit Facebook photos of her during the sentencing hearing. The 26-year-old defendant was sentenced to five years in prison, suspended after a year.

\n The Facebook photos showed the defendant drinking and partying at various out-of-state locations while on probation; she was not to leave the state without permission. Buckley claimed the photos were inadmissible evidence, even though the court said the photos indicated that the defendant had no remorse. Assistant State\u2019s Attorney Timothy Sugrue responded to Buckley by stating that the \u201cFacebook page remained a shrine to alcohol and partying\u201d and showed a lack of maturity and responsibility on the defendant\u2019s part. <\/p>\n

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Watching the argument from all sides from a student\u2019s perspective, Dwyer said, \u201cdefinitely put a heartbeat to each of the cases, a person whose particular situation hung in the balance. As a learning experience it was an incredible opportunity for the students to participate, even just as spectators, in the legal system they will one day join in one form or another as practitioners.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England\u2019s best small private universities.
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