March 28, 2024

Supreme Court justices coming to Creston

Court will hold oral arguments March 9 at Creston High School auditorium. This is a live event and the public is invited.

You will want a seat at Creston High School auditorium March 9.

Why?

Iowa Supreme Court will be holding oral arguments for a case currently on file with the court. The case, Sanon v. City of Pella, involves the drowning of two teenage boys while on a youth camp outing to the Pella Aquatic Center operated by the city of Pella.

This case centers on whether acts or omissions of city employees resulting in violation of pool safety regulations amount to a criminal offense under Iowa law such that the city does not have immunity from liability under Iowa Code.

This event is not a mock trial.

The live event is slated 7 p.m. March 9. There is no cost for this event and the public is invited. Organizers do ask the public be seated by 6:45 p.m. that evening. The doors to the auditorium will close at 6:55 p.m.

“These cases are normally only heard in Des Moines, so this literally could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some,” said Skip Kenyon, Creston’s city attorney. “It’s a real opportunity — right here in our backyard — to see the operations of the court system at the highest level in Iowa. I hope the community takes advantage of this.”

This event is part of the court system’s public outreach activities.

Steve Davis, communications coordinator for the Iowa Judicial Branch, said the court holds these events in two Iowa communities each fall and two each spring so patrons can build a greater understanding for the court system.

Creston will be the 16th community to host such an event. Storm Lake and Iowa City held the events last fall.

“The response has been tremendous,” Davis said. “The events are held at a familiar place like a high school where there is good parking. They are in the evening and we are consistently getting an average of 300 to 400 people to attend even in the smaller communities.”

Coffee afterward

A coffee — sponsored by Creston Chamber of Commerce — will be held in the Creston High School commons following the argument at approximately 8 p.m. March 9 whereby the public can meet the justices.

Then, the following day the seven justices will split up and disperse to classrooms across southwest Iowa and speak to students for about one hour and answer any questions they may have. So far, schools included are Creston, Clarke and Southwestern Community College.

Davis said the justices have been to 15 communities so far and spoke at 93 different high schools or colleges since starting this outreach activity in 2011.