On March 27, 2018, WPDN Shareholder Kyle Ridgeway participated in the fourth annual Spence Law Firm Historic Trial Program at the University of Wyoming College of Law. This program is part of the College of Law’s annual historical trial program, which takes historical events, and puts them into a mock trial format. The College of Law invites some of its most well respected alumni back to the law school to partner with third year law students to perform the trial program. The mock trial this year was based on the historical events of the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806). The trial was based on historical facts, but utilized modern legal rules. It serves as an educational tool for the public, and for law students, to not only learn about history in a unique way, but to also see first-hand the American jury trial process.
United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming, along with his third year law student co-counsel, served in the role of prosecuting attorney. Mr. Ridgeway, and his third year law student co-counsel, were tasked with representing Captain Meriwether Lewis, who was on trial for the theft of a canoe from the Clatsop Tribe in the Oregon Country during the expedition. They did so successfully based on the result given by the mock jury.
This program was featured on the University of Wyoming website here. It was also featured in the most recent edition of the Wyoming Lawyer. A link to the flyer is here.