The City of Beautifica established a large, lovely park in the city. The city council wanted to preserve elements of nature in the heart of the city undisturbed by city noise, traffic and pollution. The park is a place where citizens can find grass, trees, flowers and solitude. In addition there are playgrounds and picnic areas. At all entrances to the park the following sign has been posted: NO VEHICLES IN THE PARK

The law seems clear, but disputes have arisen over the interpretation of the law.

By breaking into groups of three, you will role play a judge and defense and prosecuting attorneys. You will interpret the law as it has been established by the Beautifica City Council, and argue the letter of the law versus the interpretation, in a variety of hypothetical cases in which citations have been issued for bringing vehicles into the park.

Officer N.O. Warnings, applying the letter of the law, has issued the following citations to people for violating the law:

Case 1
Police Officer Larry Kline
Cited for driving patrol car in the park
Officer Kline was chasing a bank robber at the time. The robber could not have been caught if Officer Kline had not driven through the park.

Case 2
Ambulance Driver Keisha Newman
Cited for driving ambulance in the park
Driver Newman was rushing a car accident victim to the hospital. The road through the park was the shortest distance between accident and the hospital. Driver Newman believes that the accident victim would not have survived if she had not driven through the park.

Case 3
Mr. Dwayne Thomas
Cited for pushing baby carriage in the park
Mr. Thomas was strolling his baby in the baby's carriage through the park on Sunday morning.

Case 4
Garbage Truck Driver Mary Smith
Cited for driving garbage truck in the park
Driver Smith was on her regular route collecting the trash cans placed in and around the park.

Case 5
Lt. Antoine Boudreaux (retired)
Cited for parking a military tank in the park
Lt. Boudreaux is the head of a local veterans committee. His committee put up the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial last year to honor the town's citizens who died in the war. The federal government donated the tank as part of the War Memorial.

Case 6
Mr. Bill Johnson
Cited for driving his horse-drawn carriage in the park
Mr. Johnson makes a living driving tourist through the park and around the city's scenic spots in an old-fashioned horse drawn carriage. Several of the city's citizens have done so for many years.

Case 7
Mr. Oliver Herbert
Cited for driving car through the park
Mr. Herbert works on one side of the park and lives on the other. He saves 10 minutes if he drives through the park rather than around.

Case 8
Robbie Franklin, Jr.
Cited for riding bike through the park
Robbie is 6 years old. He was riding the "big-wheel" bike he got for his birthday. His mother was watching him from a nearby park bench