San Juan, Puerto Rico

Hometowns Program

Summer 2025

Investigate Supreme Court case Examining Bd. v. Flores de Otero (1976).

Summary of the Program

Session 1 and Session 2 Hometowns Scholars celebrate their hard work after their moot court with federal judges and legal mentors.

The Society partnered with the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico to bring 56 high school students from 15 different high schools in the greater San Juan area into their federal courthouse over the course of two one-week summer programs. Over the course of each five-day program, students conducted an intensive study of the Judicial Branch through the lens of Examining Board v. Flores de Otero. This local federalism case reached the Supreme Court in 1976. During the program, the students learned from:

9 Federal and Commonwealth Judges, including Chief Judge Arias-Marxuach and former Chief Judge Aida Delgado
Members of the US Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Federal Defender
20 different local attorneys and law clerks
Supreme Court Advocate and former law clerk to Justice Sotomayor, Jeremy Marwell
Numerous other members of the federal court staff from the pre-trial & probation, federal defender, U.S. attorney, U.S. Marshal, and District Clerk offices

Hometowns Scholars participated in a Moot Court with assistance from District Court Law Clerks, local private attorneys, and District Judge Gina Méndez-Miró and Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauza, who served as the Chief Justice for each moot. Students also had the unique opportunity to learn about local legal pioneer, Justice Miriam Naveria Merly, the first Puerto Rican woman to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States and the first woman to serve as Associate and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

As a culminating capstone activity, students created a five-panel exhibit that will be displayed in each of the U.S. District Courthouse—the historic courthouse in Old San Juan and the newer courthouse in Hato Rey. Each panel summarizes their new learning and the impact Examining Board v. Flores de Otero has on their community and the United States. A formal opening of the exhibit is scheduled for the fall.

I would definitely recommend Hometowns to any student who wants to learn about the Supreme Court and I encourage everyone to join the program even if they don’t know anything about it. When I applied I didn’t know anything about the judicial branch, now I’m explaining to my dad how it works and why they grant certiorari to some cases and not to others.

Josue M.

I feel that every student that has the opportunity of going to this program should be obligated to go. The amount of information that I learned about how my government is insane. Plus I had a ton of fun in doing so.

Paul F.

I would totally recommend this program to a friend. It helps to get an insight into the legal system and confirm if this is something you would like to do in the future. Even if you’re not particularly interested, it is an entertaining program that serves as a fun activity to participate in for a week.

Arianny V.

This program proved to be an excellent experience for my development in areas such as public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork. I was able to to meet new people and learn in ways that were both interactive and educational. Programs like these are amazing for students who seek future careers in law, government, or just want to obtain new valuable knowledge in a supportive and challenging environment. I would totally recommend!

Enrique M.

Yes, I would definitely recommend Hometowns to my friends and classmates because it makes important topics like the Constitution and the Supreme Court easy to understand and shows how they impact us personally. It’s a great way to learn about our rights and how the law works in real life. It’s definitely a great program if you are interested in studying law but even if you are not, it’s great for anyone to better understand the laws that shape our society.

Paulina H.

Hometowns truly gives you a good understanding of the federal government and a lawyer’s and judges’s job. This program helps you know if you would like to study law in the future. Either way, it provides knowledge that is valuable for anyone.

Julia D.