Under the United States' system of federalism, the government's power is divided between the states and national government, with judicial power divided between state courts and federal courts -- each with an important but different role to play in our justice system. This program features a video in which a state and federal judge from Missouri discuss similarities and differences in the methods of selecting judges, types of cases heard and caseloads of the federal and state court systems. Accompanying the video are a variety of learning tools to facilitate further discussion.

An examination of the controversial Fourth Amendment confrontation that occurred when school officials performed a strip search of a 13-year-old student suspected of bringing drugs to school. This presentation not only examines the specific facts of Savana Redding’s case, but it also explores the broader question of the Fourth Amendment’s applicability in a school setting. Participants will be called upon to provide their own views about this case, as well as the constitutional limits placed upon schools in their effort to battle the very serious problem of drugs.

This presentation demonstrates how the decision making process of judges differs from that of members of the executive and legislative branch, focusing on the case of Texas v. Johnson. In this case the members of the United States Supreme Court were split 4-4 on whether flag burning should be constitutionally protected. The deciding vote was held by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was personally offended by the act of flag burning but believed the First Amendment protected this form of political protest. Participants will not only evaluate Kennedy’s ultimate decision, but will also present their ideas on the First Amendment and controversial, inflammatory speech.

This presentation allows students to witness and experience a legal dispute and the process by which a court resolves the dispute. In this presentation, a hypothetical conflict between the teacher and a student is created and taken to court. The class is challenged to provide its own resolution of the disagreement. The judge ultimately will make a ruling that illustrates not only the importance of the rule of law but also the fact that parties are treated equally in the courts, regardless of their status.

What is the proper role of the courts in our constitutional system? When an Iowa driver is convicted in Missouri of driving while his license was revoked, he challenges a potential loophole in the imperfectly drafted Missouri law, creating a dilemma for the state’s highest court: allow a questionable result in this particular case, or exceed the role courts are designed to play. This presentation places an unusual legal situation in the context of one of our most important constitutional principles: separation of powers.

This presentation provides students with an appreciation of our court system by showing what happened during the Colonial Period when a strong judicial system was not available. The presentation emphasizes the constitutional response to the abuses the colonists suffered under King George.

This presentation discusses the misconception that judges get to do whatever they want to do and serves to clarify and define the limits of judicial power.

No technology needed.

This presentation allows judges to explain to elementary school students what courts do in the context of a hypothetical constitutional right to recess and whether a teacher’s decision to discipline the class violates this right. The presentation addresses the role of courts, judicial decision making and constitutional protections and requires the students to make their own decisions about the issues involved in this case.

This presentation examines the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures and discusses how courts handle evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment. One key case was the 1967 decision in Katz v. United States, in which the United States Supreme Court was asked to determine the extent to which there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy in a call made from a public telephone booth. Participants also will consider how Fourth Amendment principles and the rules from Katz extend to modern technology involving cell phones and the extent to which Missouri’s constitution protects electronic communication and data.

This presentation examines the landmark Supreme Court decision dealing with the First Amendment and arising from a dispute in a Missouri school. When a principal concluded that stories about teen pregnancy and divorce should be removed from the school newspaper, student journalists filed suit and set the stage for litigation that shaped the constitutional rights of students seeking to invoke the freedom of the press.

An examination of the controversial Fourth Amendment confrontation that occurred when school officials performed a strip search of a 13-year-old student suspected of bringing drugs to school. This presentation not only examines the specific facts of Savana Redding’s case, but it also explores the broader question of the Fourth Amendment’s applicability in a school setting. Participants will be called upon to provide their own views about this case, as well as the constitutional limits placed upon schools in their effort to battle the very serious problem of drugs.

The often misunderstood guilty plea plays a significant and indispensable role in the expeditious administration of justice. This presentation identifies and explores the constitutional dimensions of a felony guilty plea through the presenter taking a fictional guilty plea using volunteers from the audience as the defendant, defense counsel and prosecuting attorney. It also seeks to educate the audience about the importance of the role of the judge in this critical phase in the criminal process.

This presentation provides a tour of the history of Missouri’s judiciary and milestone events and cases shaping it.

This presentation discusses the misconception that judges are in control of every aspect of what happens in their courts and serves to clarify the judge's role in the courtroom.

No technology needed.

This presentation discusses the the process of how judges are selected and its importance in maintaining a fair and impartial court system.

No technology needed.

This presentation provides a tour of the history of Missouri’s judiciary and the milestone events that shaped it.

An examination of the controversial First Amendment confrontation that occurred when members of the American Nazi Party sought to march in the predominantly Jewish city of Skokie, Illinois. This presentation goes beyond the specific facts of the Skokie case to explore the dimensions of the First Amendment and the judiciary’s role in protecting it. Participants will be called upon to provide their views about how far the First Amendment extends and to put themselves in the position of being judges resolving this case.

This presentation features an in-depth discussion of each of the court's purposes.

No technology needed.

This presentation is designed to introduce students to the Fourth Amendment, focusing on key concepts and the historical roots of the amendment, as well as its applicability to a search in a school setting. Participants will be able to provide their ideas about two landmark United States Supreme Court decisions dealing with searches in schools and will be presented with a scenario in which they will be asked to decide whether probable cause exists to issue a search warrant.

An examination of the First Amendment confrontation that occurred in the late 1960s when Mary Beth Tinker was suspended from her high school for wearing a black arm band to protest the Vietnam War. The Supreme Court’s decision will be examined, in addition to a recent Missouri case involving students who were suspended for creating a website that caused a disruption at their high school. Participants will be called upon to provide their own views about these cases, as well as the constitutional limits placed upon schools in the regulation of student speech.