Published: March 12, 2003

The Colorado Court of Appeals will hear arguments in the Lindsley Memorial Courtroom at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law on Tuesday, March 18, from 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Lawyers and students are encouraged to attend the event because the presiding judges will take questions from the audience after oral arguments.

"This is a unique opportunity for law students and the legal community to ask the participants questions since that chance almost never comes up once lawyers get into practice," said James B. Levy, a legal writing instructor at the law school.

A civil and a criminal case will be heard. In the criminal case, Jeffrey Chapa is appealing his conviction of felony child abuse and inflicting serious bodily injury.

In the civil case, the judges will hear a wrongful termination dispute between a Longmont doctor and a physician-owned medical group. The plaintiff, Dr. Ronald Genova, filed an action against Long's Peak Emergency Physicians for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge.

A jury split in its decision, ruling in favor of the defendants on the wrongful discharge and breach of fiduciary duty and in favor of the plaintiff on the breach of contract claim. The plaintiff is appealing the decision.

Prior to the oral arguments, CU-Boulder's Career Services office will sponsor a Judicial Clerkship brown-bag luncheon with students in room 154 of the law school from noon to 12:50 p.m. A reception in the Moorhead-Rutledge Lounge will be held following the oral arguments.

The Colorado Court of Appeals is the second highest state court after the Colorado Supreme Court and normally hears cases at the Court of Appeals Courthouse in Denver.

For more information call the CU-Boulder School of Law at (303) 492-8047.