December 29, 2025 – Springfield, Massachusetts – Court Tours have been in full swing the past few weeks as students from schools across the region have received an inside look on how the Hampden County Hall of Justice operates.

During Court Tours, students spend half a day touring the Springfield Courthouse as invited guests of the District Attorney. The tours introduce students to a wide range of career paths within the criminal justice system, with victim witness advocates, judges, court officers, and other court professionals – as available – sharing insights into their roles.

The program welcomes students in grades 6-12, as some of the cases students sit in on can be too mature for a younger audience.

The Court Tours are led by the Hampden District Attorney’s Community Safety & Outreach (CSO) Unit. CSO Unit Director Tony Simmons and Deputy Director Gina Anselmo recently provided tours to Springfield’s Impact Prep Middle School, Springfield International Charter School, Westfield’s White Oak School, and Springfield’s Putnam Vocational Technical Academy.

When Student Council members – a group of 15 sixth and seventh graders – from Springfield International Charter School visited, the day began with Simmons providing an overview of what could be expected to be seen, heard, even smelt, throughout the courthouse. He asked students to be respectful and quiet in the various courtrooms, and to not make any faces or have reactions to the cases.

Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Clarke also shared some insight into his work, law, and court operation, before the tour.

To kick things off, students sat in on the arraignment hearings. Most of the cases were minor, with offenses such as operating a vehicle with a suspended license.

After some time, everyone except for the students was asked to leave the courtroom so that Judge Danielle Williams could talk with them and answer questions. Williams shared insight on what arraignment court does, what kind of cases come in, and pointed out the different roles in the courtroom, from the clerk to the assistant district attorneys.

One of the court officers talked about her role, which she explained is to “keep people in court safe.” When one of the students asked if she ever gets scared, the officer candidly responded, “yes,” adding that it can be especially scary if someone has mental health issues, as their behaviors are unpredictable.

Students also had the opportunity to hear from a defense attorney and prosecutor, and asked questions ranging from law school to jails and juvenile court.

Next, students made their way upstairs, to sit in on cases involving harassment and restraining orders. After listening to a few cases, Judge William Rooney talked with the students and asked their opinion regarding a decision he made a few minutes prior. The case was between a woman’s ex-husband and her new boyfriend, as the ex-husband was looking to prohibit the boyfriend from attending drop-offs or any school-related events that his children were at, as he said it creates more conflict. After hearing from both sides, ultimately, Judge Rooney decided not to accept the order.

When asked if students agreed with his decision, majority of hands went up, however, three or four brave students said they disagreed. Those individuals backed their opinion by sharing facts that were discussed during the hearing and said they thought one of the men was lying based on his body language.

Judge Rooney expressed how impressed he was with the students’ questions and attention to detail.

Several of the students shared that they are interested in pursuing a career in the criminal justice system, whether it be as a lawyer or a judge. With the completion of the tour and an inside look at the operations, these students are now one step closer.

Court Tours are one of many free programs offered by the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. For more information about the Court Tours, or to request a tour for your school, contact Hampden District Attorney’s Office Deputy Director of Community Safety & Outreach Gina Anselmo at gina.anselmo@mass.gov.