April in the Southern District of California

April has been an amazingly busy month for community outreach in the Southern District of California. We hosted 5 separate events including a SECOND Open Doors to the Court event on April 14. In total, we welcomed over 330 students, ages 8-17, to the courthouse.  Students participated in mock trials, observed court proceedings, learned about the various jobs associated with the federal courts and how to manage credit wisely. The Marshals let the younger students try on equipment and see a holding cell. And of course, Ella, their explosives detecting canine was very popular. These programs were very well received by the students, teachers and parent chaperones who visited the court to learn more about their federal judiciary.  In addition to these in-court presentations, District Judge John Houston traveled to a local high school to teach 120 students about how cases travel through the court system.