Mark this one as not to be missed for 2008 Senate recount geeks.

William Mitchell College of Law will host "a look behind the curtain" at the eight month recount and trial that ended with 312-vote lead for now-Sen. Al Franken, featuring jurists whose decisions held the day.

Here are the details:

Coleman v. Franken one year later: a look behind the curtain
6:30-8:30 pm Wednesday, April 14
Coleman v. Franken had it all: charges of voter disenfranchisement, a controversial hand recount, and high-stakes courtroom drama. In the end, Al Franken prevailed and became Minnesota's newest U.S. senator.

Now, a year after a three-judge panel ruled that Franken had won the election by 312 votes over former Sen. Norm Coleman, a group of judges, an election official, and a journalist who all played key roles in the case will come together to discuss what happened, what worked, and what may need to change.

The free public event is Wednesday, April 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the William Mitchell Auditorium (875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, Minn.). It will be moderated by Mitchell professor Raleigh Levine, an expert on constitutional law who was frequently quoted in the media during the case. Panelists include:

* Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson '76, Minnesota Supreme Court, on the role of the State Canvassing Board
* Associate Justice Helen M. Meyer '83, Minnesota Supreme Court, on the role of the Minnesota Supreme Court
* Assistant Chief Judge Denise D. Reilly '83, 4th Judicial District, on the role of the three-judge panel
* Rachel Smith '02, Hennepin County elections manager, on the role of elections officials
* Jay Weiner, author of the forthcoming book, "This Is Not Florida: How Al Franken Won the Minnesota Senate Recount" (Fall 2010), on the role of the media

This event is part of the William Mitchell Public Square Lecture Series, which was created in 1997 to cover law-related issues that matter to citizens and their communities.