The Iowa Judicial Branch has joined with The Iowa State Bar Association to provide social studies teachers and students resources for studying the Iowa and US Constitutions. Coinciding with the week of Constitution Day, students can access the livestream of the oral arguments of an Iowa Supreme Court case involving both the federal and the state constitutional right against self-incrimination.
A dedicated Constitution Day page on the Iowa Judicial Branch website was created specifically for social studies teachers and students. The page includes a case summary, legal issues, legal briefs filed in the case, and discussion topics for students to prepare before watching the oral arguments, which can be accessed with a link to the livestream. Once the oral arguments are completed, the page will include a link to the archived video of the arguments so teachers can access the video and support materials at any time. After the supreme court rules on the case, the final opinion will also be posted on the page.
Additional resources on the web page include four In the Balance podcast episodes. In the first, Iowa Supreme Court Justice Dana Oxley looks at similarities and differences of the Iowa and US Constitution The second with retired Justice Brent Appel, discusses the roles the two constitutions play in the appellate courts. The third, with Justice Edward Mansfield, explains how the supreme court decides which cases come before their bench. Lastly, the fourth is an introduction to the differences between Iowa’s trial and appellate courts.
There are also links to the United States Constitution, the Iowa Constitution, a scan of the original Iowa Constitution, and an introduction to oral arguments.
The case is State of Iowa v. Deonte WB Ellison. On Thursday, September 15, 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court will hear attorneys argue in the case beginning at 9:30 am. The case will be streamed live on the Iowa Judicial Branch YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL6EU7W8kqDKnKPUzMdxr_g .
Constitution Day recognizes the ratification of the Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787. In 1911, the State of Iowa was the first state to celebrate Constitution Day. In 2004, legislation established the Federal observance of Constitution Day. The Constitution of Iowa adopted in convention March 3, 1857