By: Tracey L. Schroeder
The Supreme Court of Illinois held its May Term 2023 Oral Arguments at Chicago State University on May 11, 2023. All 7 Illinois Supreme Court Justices were in attendance, along with Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Clerk of the Supreme Court, Cynthia A. Grant, and many other dignitaries and politicians.
The Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments for two cases, a first degree murder case and a Terry stop case in front of the audience, and the audience was permitted to ask questions afterward.
The Court decides which appeals it will hear, and the Court must be selective about the cases it hears. About 2,000 cases are filed at the Supreme Court annually, and the Court chooses to review only a small percentage of those cases on the merits.
This is a very special and rare event with a select few invited. WBAI President Lauren Witkowski and WBAI First Vice President Whitney Siehl were honored to be included as part of this exclusive and important event.
This article was originally published in the WBAI Spring 2023 Newsletter on page 64.