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Experience of a lifetime: Political science student visits the Supreme Court

Lilli Wellbaum, a junior in political science, got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a U.S. Supreme Court case on Monday, April 28.

Wellbaum viewed arguments of A.J.T. v. Osseo Area School District. AJT had a debilitating, severe form of epilepsy and was turned away from receiving the appropriate accommodations for her learning. After a legal battle with the school district, AJT was able to receive these accommodations, but decided to continue to pursue the case to change the language of the disability act in schools.

“The arguments were incredibly interesting. I got to see and read how they changed throughout the appeals process and how it just kind of evolved,” Wellbaum said. “What was argued in the first district court was not what was heard in the Supreme Court, which made it super interesting to see how the case can morph over time.”

Wellbaum’s aunt serves as a clerk for a federal judge in Minnesota, the state court that AJT’s case originated in.

“She knows that I'm in political science and that I want to get involved with the law someday,” Wellbaum said. “She just texted me and was like, ‘Hey, I have an extra ticket to a Supreme Court hearing, want to come?’”

Luckily, Wellbaum’s political science education at Auburn prepared her for this experience.

“For the most part, I understood what they were saying and what they were arguing, which I definitely would not have if I hadn't been at Auburn,” Wellbaum said. “Classes like Constitutional Law with Dr. Brown and Federal Jurisdiction with Dr. Lieberman taught me many of the court processes and terminology that I needed.”

Wellbaum is involved in a variety of extracurriculars including Kappa Alpha Pi, the Student Government Association and Alpha Omicron Pi. She credits these clubs with helping her develop skills socially, academically and professionally to earn the most possible out of this opportunity.

“Kappa Alpha Pi has enabled me to be surrounded by likeminded people who understand what the curriculum we've gone through is and understand some of the things we know,” Wellbaum said.  “Being a part of that has prepared me so well for law school and experiences like this one. KAPi gives students the space to talk about politics, government and law, but also just casual conversation and bouncing ideas off of each other.”

Attending a Supreme Court case was already a dream come true for a student interested in law, but what made it truly extraordinary for Wellbaum is that she got to hear arguments presented by Lisa S. Blatt. Blatt has argued the most cases in front of the Supreme Court of any woman ever in history, this being her 53rd case.

“It was really inspiring to see how women can thrive in a very male dominated field. I got to see three female justices on the stand and watch their gears turn as the petitioner and defendant argued in front of them,” Wellbaum said. “It felt like going to a concert. In my eyes, Supreme Court justices are celebrities, and it was fascinating to see the real people that help this country run.”

Learn more about the Department of Political Science.

Tags: Students Political Science