PEC Update, July 11, 2007

This past Monday there was a hearing on the Petition for Appeal in the student contract case before a panel of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

At these hearings the attorney for the people seeking appeal has ten minutes to make a brief statement and answer any questions the three-justice panel may have. During the hearing for the student contract case the Justices were well-prepared, engaged and animated with their questions (of which they had many) and appeared to be interested in the issues involved. All three Justices had questions (this is not typical) and they listened attentively to Wyatt Durrette’s answers. Questions ranged from relating the issues in this case to aspects of the VMI case to how this case would inform a hypothetical suit brought by students at the University of Virginia should the university abolish its Honor Code to what remedy exists for R-MWC students if men have already been accepted for admission.

It is impossible to predict what a panel will decide but we are encouraged by their interest during the hearing. We should know in two to three weeks if the panel has decided that the Court should hear the student contract appeal.

Vita abundantior,

PEC Board

Gail Ballou (R-MWC '64)
Carol Curcio Lang (R-MWC '68)
Diane U. Montgomery (R-MWC '85)
Anne Yastremski (R-MWC '05)
Martha McClerkin Durnett (R-MWC '85)
Chantel Sheaks (R-MWC '91)

Return to PEC Updates