BYU law students almost had the chance to hear a highprofile court argument on their own turf, but “almost” was as good as it got.

The Utah Supreme Court originally scheduled polygamist leader Warren Jeffs’ appeal hearing for today in the BYU law building.

In mid-September they decided to change the location of Jeffs’ hearing to Salt Lake City.

“The reason that the case was moved … was to accommodate the high interest in the case,” said Nancy Volmer, spokeswoman for the Utah State Courts.

The appeal to the Utah Supreme Court was held at Salt Lake City’s Scott M. Matheson Courthouse.

“They usually like to select a case that will be of interest to the students, but they might not have realized the interest to other parties,” Volmer said.

Jeffs is the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In 2007, Jeffs was convicted on two counts of assistance in a rape.

Some students expressed disappointment about the removal of Jeffs’ case.

“There are always difficult issues in the law and we can’t pick and choose,” said Jana Barker, a second-year law student from Salt Lake. “We have to be able to deal with the issues.”

Jenna Hatch, a third-year law student, said the room would have been packed and  students would have camped out to get a spot in the law building with the limited seating.

“It would have been great to see it,” Hatch said.