Washburn Law Clinic Student Argues Before Kansas Supreme Court
Teri Canfield-Eye, third-year student at Washburn University School of Law, conducted the oral argument before the Kansas Supreme Court on a case in which the Washburn Law Clinic represents the appellant on Monday, March 4, 2002. The argument addressed whether either a defense attorney or the trial court should be required to advise a non-citizen defendant that a plea of "no contest" to a criminal offense may adversely impact the defendant's immigration status. This issue has been hotly contested throughout the United States.
Keith Whiteford and Becky Hestand, also students participating in the Washburn Law Clinic program, assisted on the case by authoring the opening brief filed with the Court. All students contributing to this case worked under the direct supervision of Professor John Francis. Additionally, Professor Francis accompanied Ms. Canfield-Eye at the oral argument. Several members of the faculty helped moot Ms. Canfield-Eye's argument in preparation for her appearance before the Court, including Professors Peter Cotorceanu, Ellen Byers, Deborah Challener, Alex Glashausser, Michael Kaye, Steven Ramirez, and Associate Dean Carol Vizzier.
A decision in State v. Muriithi, Docket No. 87,213, is expected from the Kansas Supreme Court later this year.
