By Shanon Barbour
Reporter

Student Court will hear proceedings on the first case of the semester on Feb. 16.

Roswell, N.M junior Cody Coll, chief justice, and Texarkana, Ark. junior Daniel Pellegrin, deputy chief justice, will attend the hearings along with the other seven justices and the three individuals involved in the case.

Student Court is the judicial branch of student government. The court consists of a chief justice, eight associate justices, one court clerk and one assistant court clerk.

“We do have the power to issue written and oral reprimands, as well as some other forms of sanction,” Coll said. “We can suspend an organization, suspend a member from participation in co-curricular activities and we can recommend that further action be taken by Judicial Affairs.”

In the first case of the semester, the court must reach a resolution to the lawsuit brought against Katy junior Lawren Kinghorn.

The suit was filed by Woodinville, Wash., junior Gannon McCahill and San Antonio junior Chase Hardy.

A decision must be reached within five class days after the end of the hearings against Kinghorn.

Student Court deals with cases involving students and organizations that do not involve the Baylor Honor Code, such as the Interfraternity and Pan-Hellenic councils.

“There’s usually a concentration of cases, typically two or three right in a row together during the week of Dia due to the Student Government general elections taking place at that time,” Coll said. “There are usually disputes and appeals coming from the Electoral Commission.”

The Electoral Commission manages and supervises all elections and nominations for the student body.

The court doesn’t have the authority to deal with cases involving professors, staff or other administrative members.

Pellegrin said the court has the authority to make recommendations to Judicial Affairs. These recommendations can include conducting investigations and carrying out expulsions.

“I would have to say that the majority of the student body doesn’t realize the role that student government plays on campus and in their day to day lives as students of the university,” Coll said.

On Wednesday the court’s nine members voted to bar the press, including the Lariat, from contacting all members of Student Court with the exception of contacting Coll.

“This was a decision that Dan and I came to that the court voted upon last night,” Coll said.  “Primarily just to protect the court and the justices.”