Are you thinking about becoming a lawyer? Does the American judicial system interest you? Well, LHHS has a mock trial team that might be for you!
Mock trial is an academic competition where teams mimic a court case and are scored against other schools based on their performance in the trial.
“Mock trial is a mix of acting and debating where we read and learn a court case based on real life events,” explained main witness Petra MacCarthy (10).
All the schools in the region get the same case to work on. Each team has to prepare to represent the plaintiff and the defense. They have three attorneys and three witnesses for each side. The team enlists the help of real lawyers with courtroom experience to guide them through the process.
There are three rounds in the competition, so they reenact the trial three times. They flip a coin to decide which side of the case each team will argue for.
“Mock trial [competition] rules mimic the real rules of the state of Texas for trials, so as to be as close to what a real attorney has to do,” described mock trial sponsor Casey Boland.
The team is scored by real judges and lawyers. Each attorney and witness is scored individually and the scores are compared to the other schools competing.
“Each witness and attorney is given a score [from] one to ten that collectively adds up to 100. At the end, awards are given and they announce who advances,” commented expert witness Huck Berglund (10).
This activity benefits students in many ways from gaining a greater understanding of the court system to finding out if being a lawyer could be a future endeavor they want to pursue because of the experience they acquire in a courtroom.
“Mock trial is a great way to understand the judicial system in America. We [make] our case in the real courthouse downtown,” elaborated attorney and witness Claire Nicodemus (12).
Mock trial also equips students with skills they can employ in their everyday life.
“It helps you with your analytical skills, thinking on your feet, public speaking, and working in a team,” Boland said.
Many of the students that participate in mock trial thoroughly enjoy the experience and the skills that it gives them.
“When objections start flying and the tension builds between both sides, it feels so real and intense,” commented attorney Faizah Hammed (12).
