Almost every day, Justice Nancy Smith walks from her chambers in the Supreme Court building to Monroe Community College’s Damon City Campus in Rochester.
Smith transitions from hearing appeals from courts all over the state to teaching criminal evidence to future lawyers and police officers. The Pittsford resident serves as an associate justice of the appellate division, Fourth Department of New York State Supreme Court, and is in her third year of teaching in the Law and Criminal Justice Department at the college.
“I love being around the energy of the students, it’s energizing,” Smith said. “I have practical knowledge, so I can tell them war stories so they can see how it actually works.”
Because of her schedule as a justice, she is unable to get to some classes, so she team-teaches with Henrietta resident David Pogue. The two began their careers together in the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office in 1982. Pogue has taught the course for more than 25 years.
“We both view the law in the same way, so one can fill in without missing a step,” Smith said.
Students learn about admissible physical and testimonial evidence, confessions and illegal searches, often through discussions of cases that are based loosely on appeals heard by state appellate judges.
Criminal justice major Jonathan Giesy enjoyed taking Smith’s class last fall.
“She brought a lot of real-life experience to the classroom, and I feel like we were really lucky to have her,” said Giesy, who is looking to go into the police science field.
He said Smith’s experience made her more credible.
“There is that perspective you can never gain from anyone that hasn’t actually been there and done that,” Giesy said.
Smith said she doesn’t like lecturing and prefers to have a lot of interaction from the students in her classes. The justice said she is always impressed by their questions and comments.
The class ends with a mock trial in the Supreme Court building, offering a hands-on experience.
Many of Smith’s former students have gone on to pursue careers in the criminal justice field.
“It’s absolutely wonderful; they keep me informed of what they’re doing now, going to a four-year school or law school,” Smith said. “That makes it so worth it.”
Pittsford, N.Y. —
