Friday, June 28, 2013

Bring a Child to Work Day

On June 26, 2013,the Southern District of California hosted its annual Bring a Child to Work Day.  65 children of court staff, Probation, Pretrial Services, Bankruptcy and the Clerk's Office visited the Court to learn what happens when mom and dad leave for work each day. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Latham welcomed the children to the District and gave them an overview of how the federal court system works. Deputy U.S. Marshal Joanne Boyd and her partner Ella taught the children about the life of an explosive sniffing canine and her handler. The younger children visited a courtroom and got to see a holding cell. The older children visited MCC and learned about life in a jail and had an opportunity to observe court proceedings.  Both groups participated in age appropriate mock trial proceedings presided over by District Judge Dana Sabraw, Bankruptcy Judge Margaret Mann and Magistrate Judge Barbara Major. It was a very fun, busy and educational day for all.





Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Making it Real

On June 17, 2013, District Judge Anthony Battaglia (Southern District of Californa) hosted a group of high school students attending a summer "Criminal Justice Academy" coordinated by Exploring. These 25 students, who are all planning to pursue a career in law or law enforcement, had an opportunity to watch actual sentencings and probation revocations followed by a panel presentation consisting of representatives from some the many careers available in and associated with the federal judiciary. From ICE to MCC, court reporting to interpreting, prosecution to defense, nearly a dozen representatives shared their stories with these students and told them what it takes to be competitive for these government jobs.  It was a wonderful learning experience for the students and an enjoyable presenting experience for the professionals.