Can a teacher make an asynchronous assignment due at the end of the block? Can tests be administered on the Tuesday after a holiday weekend? Many students and staff have questions about the handbook’s policies. Judiciary can answer them.

The third branch of student government is made up of four teachers and five students who meet every X-block. While Legislature creates the handbook and votes on new policies, Judiciary is tasked with interpreting the handbook when discrepancies, questions or disagreements arise. Judiciary settles handbook violations for both students and staff and makes recommendations to Legislature on how to improve. This year, however, their main focus has been on getting the word out on Judiciary’s purpose.

Over the 2025-2026 school year, they’ve had one definitive case, and there have been fewer students coming for help than in previous years.

Junior Molly Cohen, a second-year member of Judiciary, said that while Judiciary does not want more issues to arise, they worry that the decrease in cases comes from student fears and not a lack of disagreements.

“I think the number one reason we’re not getting cases is because students are intimidated. I think that they’re scared of repercussions from their teachers or whoever that they’re bringing it against, that sometimes they think it’s just too much effort and that they’re not going to see any positive results from it,” Cohen said.

Even though students can bring cases to Judiciary anonymously, math teacher and Judiciary chair Danielle Theissen said students may be worried about maintaining a good relationship with their teacher.

“We do think sometimes students might be afraid to bring a case and concerned that there might be some type of negative consequence with their teacher, and we want them to know that that’s not the case,” Theissen said. “It benefits a teacher and a student to sometimes have someone else come in and say, ‘Here’s an outside third-party perspective.’”

Theissen also said that there have been more concrete policies and a push for consistency between classes, which may be contributing to a decrease in issues. The issue of standardized courses has been a popular topic for debate, especially after Legislature passed, and Head of School Anthony Meyer vetoed, the Equitable Grading Bill in April of 2025.

The Equitable Grading Bill required similar final and midterm assessments, along with the standardization of extension policies and the basis of final grades across a single course. The bill was influenced by many student complaints, which Cohen said she often hears in the halls.

“When you go around and you’re just talking to your friends in the hallway and you’ll walk by, you’ll always hear someone be like, ‘There’s no way my teacher’s allowed to do this. That’s so unfair.’ A lot of times, when I’m talking to my friends and they say that, I’m like, ‘You could bring that [to Judiciary],’” Cohen said.

Sophomore Arnav Raillard, a first-year member of Judiciary, said it is very easy to bring an issue to the group, even if you just have a question. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’ll be involved in a case.

“You can just email one of us or email Judiciary. It shouldn’t take much of your time. If we feel that there’s a case, then it’s a longer process, but most of the time it can be resolved through a couple of emails,” Arnav said. “If there’s a case, we’re happy to sit on it, we’re happy to talk about it and to hear both sides, and then we’ll make a verdict.”

Judiciary also helps settle philosophical differences and supports students in having difficult conversations with their teachers. This year, with a slow influx of student requests, they’re working on making sure people know how to reach them.

“It’s my role to say, ‘Okay, what could we be doing to improve?’ So right now, one of those things is getting the word out,” Theissen said. “While [we teachers have] all volunteered our time to do this, we want the students to have power in this process, so we try to let them be driving the work as much as possible.”

Cohen said that Judiciary wants people to know that they have a voice and that Judiciary can help them advocate for themselves.

“The skills that you practice in bringing a case to Judiciary are quintessential and aren’t being practiced enough. It’s a lot of self-advocacy,” Cohen said. “We are here to just support people in whatever individual ways they need.”