On Thursday, May 21st, students in Mrs. Dacey’s MVCC Business/Personal Law Class got a firsthand look into the operations of a federal court with a visit to the United States District Courthouse in Syracuse. Students had the privilege of visiting with the Honorable Mitchell J. Katz, where he discussed his career path, and his role in the courtroom.
Other topics that were discussed include his role in ensuring rights under the fourth amendment, which protects individuals from unreasonable government searches and seizures, and the process of warrant approval. He also discussed his role working with soldiers and families from nearby Fort Drum in Watertown because of his court’s status in the Northern District of New York.
While on site, the students also had the privilege of attending a Naturalization Ceremony, where 25 individuals from 20 nations became a US Citizen. Among them was a gentleman who served two deployments in the United States Military, and picked up the right to vote as a US Citizen. Before the ceremony, they learned about the citizenship process, the significant challenges and sacrifices it entails, and put their own knowledge to the test by taking a sample 135 question citizenship test.
Through this experience, each member of the class took away a firsthand understanding of the true value of citizenship, along with the accompanying rights and responsibilities.
