nding, especially when it dealt with public education. (58)Almost a week before the hearing in the Supreme Court, Marshall and his lawyers assembled at Howard University's law school to hold a mock trial. A group of law professors and lawyers acted as the Supreme Court Justices while Marshall and his assistants conducted a dress rehearsal of the case. The men playing the justices asked difficult questions at the NAACP's lawyers. As a result, Marshall and his legal team gathered together to perfect thier arguments and anticipate counterarguments. By December 9, Marshall and his assitants were prepared to present the most improtant case of thier lives before the U.S. Supreme Court. (59)Suddenly, as the NAACP attorneys were planning stategies for the reargument for the Brown vs. The Board in September of 1953, Chief Justice Fred Vinson suffered a fatal heart attack. The death of this Chief Justic could not have come at a worse time; just as the Supreme Court was deciding the most improtant case of the century. (68)Vinson's replacement was Earl Warren, the popular and well respected govenor of California. Warren had a good reputation for fairness and honesty. Warren was so well respected that he was admired by both Democrats and Republicans. To Thurgood Marshall, however, the new chief justice caused a turmoil. They questions wether the new chief justice would take a radical step to outlaw school segregation and overturn court decisions that had stayed in effect for more than fifty years.(68)In order to be ready for the December arguments, Chief Justice Warren reviewed the entire testimony involving the Brown case. He would read the transcripts of the lower-court and Supreme Court hearings, analyze the legal briefs submitted by all parties, and discuss the case at length with his collegues on the Court.(68)Finally, on May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court Justices were ready to deliever thier decisions. At around one o'clock, Chief Ju...
