GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The American Bar Association hosted Law Day 2023 on Monday to teach local students about the inner workings of our justice system.

Students were bussed in from all over the Pioneer Valley for an up-close look at the justice system. More than 100 students filed through the metal detectors at the Franklin County Hall of Justice for Monday’s tour and seminar.

They got a chance to see each of the courts housed inside the facility and explored the resources available to the public, like the Law Library. Eventually, they filled a room to hear from a series of speakers with a central theme exploring the importance of the balance of power in our government.

“I don’t remember spending time in a courthouse or thinking about the court system until I went to law school. The judges and lawyers are trying to bring students into the courthouse to try and de-mistify what we do,” said Katherine Robertson, the Magistrate Judge, of the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts.

The Bar Association also honored two students who won their annual essay competition with scholarships. The Bar Association is hosting another event in Northampton on Thursday, and the theme of that presentation will be voting rights.