City of San Antonio Municipal Courts (TX) Contact: Krystal Strong City of San Antonio Municipal Courts 401 S. Frio St. San Antonio, TX 78207 E-mail: kstrong@ci.sat.tx.us Activity Summary: The San Antonio Municipal Courts celebrated Law Week with a week of activities from May 1 - 5, 2000. Activities included presentations, tours, mock trials, and a showcase display of the Municipal Courts. Presentations and tours were given to Southwest, East Central, and South San Antonio high schools. A mock trial was presented to local neighborhood association members regarding a code compliance violation. Fox Tech HS students went through the voir dire process and deliberated regarding a mock theft case. Through out the whole week, Municipal Courts employees were on hand at a showcase display located in the Municipal Courts lobby at a local Community Link Center. Activity Narrative: As more citizens visit Municipal Courts than all other courts combined, we felt it was important to reach the public and provide information about the jurisdiction, purpose, and procedures applicable to the Municipal Courts. Several methods were developed to publicize Law Week. The first method was a Law Week page on the Municipal Courts website that included the history and purpose of Law Week, as well as a schedule of planned activities. The second method of advertising Law Week was developing a proclamation that was read by Mayor Howard W. Peak on April 27, 2000. The third method was submitting our activity schedule to the City calendar that was distributed to thousands of City employees. As a final advertisement for Law Week, both the Municipal Courts Director and Presiding Judge appeared on “The City Managers Report" and discussed the purpose of Law Week as well as planned activities. The San Antonio Municipal Courts celebrated Law Day with a week of activities from May 1 - 5, 2000. On Monday, May 1, 2000, two local high schools were given a presentation and an extensive tour. The high schools included Southwest High School and East Central High School, each bringing approximately 50 students. The presentations gave the students the opportunity to learn about the Municipal Courts as well as ask questions to a Municipal Courts judge and prosecutor. The tours brought students through each step of the adjudication process and as well as the magistrature and detention facility. On Tuesday, May 2, 2000, the Municipal Court hosted approximately 10 students from South West High School, for a presentation and tour. In the afternoon a code compliance mock trial was presented to 23 representatives from local neighborhood associations and four members of the Clean Up Commission. City Council member Ed Prado spoke to the guests prior to the trial about the importance of their participation in events such as Law Week and in their community. The mock trial educated guests on court procedures, the roles of code enforcement officers, judges, and prosecutors. After the mock trial, guests were able to talk and ask questions of judges, prosecutors, and court staff. On Wednesday, May 3, 2000, several Municipal Courts staff members went to the Las Palmas Community Link Center. Flyers were handed out at the Las Palmas Community Link Center several weeks prior to the Law Week activity scheduled for that location. This is one of two Community Link Centers that provides City services at remote sites in order to provide more customer friendly and convenient locations. Court staff set up a showcase display outside the Community Link Center. The showcase display outlined court procedures and options to include: environmental, animal control, code compliance, juveniles, community service, probation, defensive driving, jury and non-jury trials, and assault. Various brochures and literature were available on these processes and were handed out at the Community Link Center. Employees were on hand to answer any questions that citizens asked. This display was also set up in the Municipal Courts lobby on May 1,2, 4, and 5th, 2000, staffed with an employee to answer questions. This provided useful information to hundreds of citizens throughout the week, particularly those who were in the Municipal Courts for the first time. On Friday, May 5, 2000, previously summoned jurors (Fox Tech High School students) arrived and were greeted by court staff in the jury room where they were put into order by juror number. After being brought into the courtroom, they participated in voir dire. Prosecutors and defense attorneys walked them through the process as they would actual jurors The mock trial was a juvenile theft case in which the chosen students sat as jurors and decided the verdict. At the conclusion of the mock trial, the group was given an extensive tour of the court, magistrature and detention facility. The San Antonio Municipal Courts has developed a partnership with Fox Tech Legal Magnet High School. The court supports the school throughout the year by participating in activities such as career day and having students shadow judges. The newest project has been an Internship/Mentorship program between the court and six seniors. Students were paired with staff in all areas of the court and worked six hours a week for the whole semester. Students were responsible for a project that was presented at the end of the semester. One intern’s project was Law Week. This intern assisted in the planning, coordination, and implementation of all Law Week activities. 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