Lynn students participate in annual Law Day

LYNN – Approximately 50 city students appeared in Lynn Juvenile Court Thursday morning after school administrators said the students ? wrote essays and submitted artwork to participate in the 56th anniversary of Law Day.”We truly look forward to this opportunity to celebrate the rights and freedoms we have as citizens of the United States,” Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court Amy Nechtem said in welcoming the students.Law Day was established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and locally consists of several activities in Lynn courthouses and schools.Fifty-five students from Lynn English and St. Mary’s high schools wrote essays, while nine students from Fecteau-Leary created an art project to participate in a program Thursday at Lynn Juvenile Court. (Several students did not attend on Thursday, however). The essays and project reflected the theme of this year’s Law Day – American democracy and the rule of law: why every vote matters – selected in recognition of the upcoming 50th anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.”The Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act have ensured millions of people including myself have the right to vote and not be discriminated against,” said English student Jason Guscott in his first-place essay.The day began with students touring Lynn Juvenile Court. Students then gathered in a courtroom where representatives of the state, city and courthouse described their roles in the justice system.Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said she wanted students to learn “that what a lawyer looks like is not limited to ?Law and Order’ reruns,” as she and others have taken many different career paths following law school.And students learned that many different jobs are part of the juvenile court process.Lynn Police Sgt. Larry Wentzell explained that this process begins with police – “the first rung on the ladder” – investigating an allegation of a crime.Assistant Chief Court Officer Michael Sorrenti said his department takes over when the suspect, or anybody else, comes into the court … often irate and requiring babysitting.”We’re kind of like TMZ,” Sorrenti joked, citing the celebrity news website. “We know everybody’s business.”Assistant Clerk-Magistrate Jane Kelley joked that “if you break a law when you grow up, remember to be nice to a clerk.” She described the court clerks as “the keepers of the records,” who do everything from data entry to deciding whether a case will be seen by a judge.The “lawyer for the police” and the “defender of the law, not just the (accused),” – also known as Assistant District Attorney Cal Skeirik and private defense attorney Michael Contant, respectively – explained their roles arguing the facts of a case and appropriate consequences.Assistant Chief Probation Officer Jay Fraher described how his department tries “to redirect choices” of the defendant before and/or after a trial while the defendant may qualify for probation.With the juvenile court system’s particular emphasis on resolving cases through probation or diversionary programs, Fraher described how his department tries “to redirect choices” of a defendant so they stay out of trouble.Judge Garrett McManus said making the ultimate decisions about a case “can be heartbreaking and incredibly wonderful.”Fecteau-Leary student Endy DeJesus said he was surprised to learn there were so many processes to the court system.St. Mary’s student Zach Stueve, who also won first-place for his essay, said he was most surprised about the enthusiasm of court workers.”Everybody seems like they really enjoy their job,” Stueve said. “It could be something I might be interested in.”