By Andrew Edwards
Elmore/Autauga News Staff Writer
It may have not been at the Autauga County Court House this year, but the Autauga County Probate Office found a way to hold their annual Law Day Event at Prattville Primary School.
The event, which is held for the school’s second graders, gave students the opportunity to learn more about the judicial system and the Prattville Police and Fire Departments. Chief Deputy District Attorney CJ Robinson taught kids the phrase “stranger danger” and the importance of staying away from people that you may not know, while the Prattville Fire Department gave tours, inside and out, of a firetruck.
The main event, however, was the trial of B.B. Wolf and Curly Pig, which took place in the school’s auditorium. It was based on the story of the Three Little Pigs, with a wolf threatening to blow the pigs’ house in.
Children cheered and watched intently as both Wolf and Pig’s attorneys made their cases. The premise of the case stated that Pig tried to boil Wolf in a pot of water.
“I just wanted to pay a visit to my old friend,” Wolf exclaimed. “He didn’t answer when I knocked on the door, so I figured he must be a heavy sleeper. So, I crawled into the chimney, and that’s when he opened the lid to the boiling pot of water.”
Pig, who was in disgust the entire trial, made a solid case for himself when he addressed the courtroom.
“That’s not what happened at all. He kept saying, ‘Little pig, little pig, let me in or I’ll blow your house down,’ It was frightening! I only wanted to take the lid off as a warning. How was I supposed to know that he was already halfway down when I did that,” Pig questioned.
After both cases were made, the Children were able to decide who was innocent. They elected to choose Pig as the innocent one and Wolf as the culprit. This was not pleasing to Wolf, and he proceeded to chase Pig around the courtroom – to the children’s delight.
Later, it was revealed that Wolf was played by Prattville Primary School Principal Holly McNider. McNider, who has played the role for several years now, says that Law Day is not only a fun time for the students, but a learning opportunity as well.
“We love bringing in our community agencies because it gives us the opportunity to see the law system in action. The storyline to the play is really cool because the kids can understand it and it’s appropriate for their age,” McNider said.
Autauga County Probate Judge Kimberly Kervin said Law Day also provides a sense of comfort to children if/when they face a real-life situation where they find themselves in a courtroom.
“Unfortunately, there’s a lot of times where children have to go to court in a domestic setting or criminal setting, but Law Day is an opportunity to show them that there’s nothing to be afraid of when someone says you have to go to court,” Kervin said.
“We want to show them that judges and lawyers are not scary, and that they are actually there to help them.”
Law Day is typically held on May 1st every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. With COVID restrictions still in play, the Probate Office held the event on May 7th this year at the school.
See More Photos Below.
