LEWISTON – High school senior George Foster was in a crowd of students Thursday waiting to watch Maine’s highest court at work.

Foster was at Lewiston Middle School with his American government class to see the Maine Supreme Judicial Court preside over appeals of lower-court convictions.

Even though the setting was a school, the judges were hearing real cases.

It was a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, Foster said.

As students settled into the auditorium, a law clerk announced, “All rise,” as the black-robed judges walked on stage and took their seats at a table.

Chief Justice Leigh Saufley holds court in schools a few times a year to expose students to Maine’s judicial system.

The judges listened as defense attorney Bradford MacDonald made his case that a Penobscot County murder conviction should be thrown out.

In 2003 Jimmy Lipham shot and killed David Langway in the Maine woods. Lipham admitted that he dismembered Langway’s body and buried the parts to cover up the killing. The shooting was accidental, MacDonald said.

After Assistant Attorney General Donald Macomber and MacDonald presented arguments, Saufley announced the court would be in recess.

“All rise,” the clerk announced.

During the recess both attorneys took questions from students.

Foster asked about the spousal privilege. Another asked what kind of relationship the victim had with the defendant.

Lewiston senior Jon Narbonne asked why the men went into the woods with a gun.

To poach deer, the defense attorney said. The prosecution added that Lipham took a .45-caliber handgun with him to kill Langway.

Afterward, students said they were drawn into the proceedings.

“It was very interesting,” Narbonne said. “I like learning about this stuff. I want to go to school for law and criminal justice.”

Foster said the arguments “really caught” his attention. Typically, teenagers aren’t interested in government, he said, but he found himself drawn into the case and formed an opinion, which he discussed with his teacher.

“Who goes into the woods poaching with a .45?” Foster said.

Leavitt Area High School students Breanne Kaufman, Kelsey Cunliffe, and Nicholas Trinh, all involved in a mock trial program, came to see a real court proceeding. They weren’t disappointed.

“It’s really neat,” Cunliffe said. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. It helps me understand a lot of this.”

Kaufman said she enjoyed watching the female chief justice at work. “She really questioned and challenged them. It was fun to watch them kind of stutter and get on their toes.”