Civil Justice Clinic to argue before Arizona Court of Appeals

March 04, 2011

Students from the College of Law’s <a href="http://www.law.asu.edu/Default.aspx?alias=www.law.asu.edu/justiceclinic… Justice Clinic</a> will argue before the Arizona Court of Appeals representing Betty Cruz in a case involving unemployment insurance on March 8.<separator></separator>During the last three semesters, six Clinic students have worked with Cruz on her appeal of the decision by the Arizona Department of Economic Security to deny her unemployment benefits.<separator></separator>“The Civil Justice Clinic trains students how to advocate on behalf of Arizonans who are unemployed, through no fault of their own, through a combination of coursework and client representation,” said <a href="http://apps.law.asu.edu/Apps/Faculty/Faculty.aspx?individual_id=65860">… Karin</a>, Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Civil Justice Clinic.<separator></separator>Karin said she is privileged to work with the students and is proud of their efforts on behalf of Cruz.<separator></separator>“The drive and preparation these students have put towards appellate advocacy on behalf of their client – by working together to research and draft the briefs as well as strategize and moot for oral argument – is unparalleled,” Karin said.<separator></separator>The chance to argue before the Court of Appeals offers an exceptional opportunity for students.<separator></separator>"It is such an unbelievable opportunity to argue before the Court of Appeals as a student, and I am even more excited to be there arguing on Ms. Cruz’s behalf,” Matthew Hamilton said.<separator></separator>Jared Sutton, a 3L student who will argue before the court, also expressed his excitement in representing Cruz.<separator></separator>“When I found out I would be representing Ms. Cruz at the Court of Appeals, I was both apprehensive and extremely excited,” Sutton said. “It is, after all, daunting to be handed a Court of Appeals oral argument as a student—and having the client’s final shot at justice rest in your hands. But now that I’m knees-deep in the process, the apprehension is rapidly giving way to the excitement.”<separator></separator>With faculty supervision, the clinic’s students are involved in all aspects of civil and administrative practice including drafting pleadings, motions and appellate briefs, representing clients in trials, arbitrations and mediations as well as presenting oral arguments in Arizona appellate courts and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.<separator></separator>The Clinic works on civil and administrative proceedings, public education and legislative lawyering matters related to employment law, such as unemployment insurance claims, leave, wage and hour and discrimination claims, and fraudulent schemes against homeowners and renters, tenants' rights, housing appeals and predatory mortgage lending cases.<separator></separator>Janie Magruder, <a href="mailto:Jane.Magruder@asu.edu">Jane.Magruder@asu.edu</a> (480) 727-9052 Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

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