James Monroe High Opens a Courtroom

Not that parents should worry, but the number of students at James Monroe High School who end up in court jumped sharply Monday.

After a wait of nearly two years, the North Hills school’s law and government magnet program officially opened its courtroom--a state-of-the-art learning facility for students that may also play host to actual court cases.

“The courtroom is one of a kind,” said Monroe Principal Joan Elam, who addressed a crowd of about 400 parents, teachers, students and legal professionals who came to the event. “We have everything but our own jail.”

According to Marcia Skolnik, court information officer for Los Angeles Municipal Court, the new courtroom has been targeted to handle overflow cases from Small Claims Court.

“The court hopes to schedule small claims cases at the school in the fall,” Skolnik said. “It’s exactly the same as ‘The People’s Court.’ ”

Built for the about 360 students in the magnet, the courtroom cost $80,000 to construct and required hundreds of volunteer hours. The city’s own courtroom architect was brought in to ensure that every detail, from the jury box to the witness stand, was exactly in order.

That thoroughness of design impressed many visitors, including noted civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred.

“It’s very realistic,” Allred said. “I think it’s important for students to have the feel of a real courtroom as they prepare themselves for a career in the field of law.”

But the courtroom does more than just motivate students to become lawyers. The mock trials and hearings require students to do research, write legal briefs and speak before an audience. “It’s made English and history much easier to teach,” said teacher Marti Sutherland. “They’re not just memorizing it. They have to get in there and argue it, justify it.”

For many students, the courtroom atmosphere just feels right. “It feels good,” said 10-grader Alberto Lopez, who argued a mock custody case. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”