- Five Federal Judges (including Judge Carlton Reeves as the head of the US Sentencing Commission and Judge Daniel Calabretta speaking about his clerkship with Justice Stevens)
- The Federal Defender, Assistant FDs, AUSAs, and other local attorneys
- Professors from the University of Maine School of Law
- Trustee and Supreme Court Appellate Advocate, John Elwood (who came in person!)
- The defendant Fanfan’s attorney, Rosemary Scappichio
After four days of immersing themselves in the Judicial Branch and the case, the Hometowns students applied their knowledge and participated in an in-depth Socratic seminar focused on the question, “Should the Sentencing Guidelines be mandatory?” Students reviewed data from the Sentencing Commission, several Law Review articles, and other publications by judges and attorneys. On the final day, the students worked on their collaborative capstone project, a six-paneled exhibit which will be displayed in the federal courthouse.
“The most valuable knowledge I gained during the program was understanding how a case moves through the federal court system and how one Supreme Court decision can affect courts across the country. I also learned the importance of the Sixth Amendment and why the right to a jury trial is such an important part of the justice system. Studying United States v. Booker and United States v. Fanfan helped me see how courts balance constitutional rights with the goal of creating fair and consistent sentences.” — Benedita
Hometowns Portland would not have been possible without the support of Chief Judge Walker, Clerk of Court Jennifer Lyons, Deputy Clerk Eric Storms, and collaborator extraordinaire, Lindsey Tully! The Society is so grateful for the Court and community support of Hometowns Portland.