Georgia Supreme Court Justices Hold ‘Mock Hearing’ at Mercer Law School

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Today, Mercer Law students got a chance to experience what it’s like to practice law in the highest courtroom in the peach state.

The Georgia Supreme Court justices reviewed some big issues at the Walter F. George School of Law.

Former Mercer Bear and Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, Hugh P. Thompson tells 41NBC’s Taylor Terrell these future attorneys got a first hand lesson in the art of the law.

“It’s important that they get off on the right start…It’s important that they understand that they can’t make mistakes even at this stature of their lives,” says Chief Justice Thompson.

Even students agree, seeing local lawyers make a case in front of the Georgia Supreme Court helps them prepare for success beyond the classroom.

“It gets you ready for the real thing, maybe gets you a little bit more use to it,” says first year law student Tyler Bishop.

Ketienne Telemaque, also a first year law students, says she thought the program was amazing.

“It was very compelling arguments on both sides. I felt like the Supreme Court judges did an excellent job on at really getting down to the root issues of the law and I was really learning a lot from it.”

It was an unforgettable learning experience for some of the students, and Thompson says there is more to take away than a lesson in law.

“You know a lot of their character is made here…a lot of their reputation is made here. It’s important that they understand that things they do in law school will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

He adds students should never pass up the opportunity to do their best work, and to always do the right thing.

The Georgia Supreme Courts visits a couple law schools each year to host their oral argument sessions.

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