MHHS Mock Trial

The MHHS Mock Trial team kicked off the year at the Mock Trial Academy in Stockton this past Saturday. Students had an opportunity to hear from the Stanislaus County District Attorney who talked about what inspired her to pursue a career in law. She shared many stories and gave some helpful advice to a room full of aspiring attorneys. Students also got a chance to get to know the others from around the county who they will be competing against by playing several games and breaking into teams to develop a timeline of the case. They participated in workshops on delivering pretrial motions, making objections, and dealing with nervousness when speaking in public.

This year’s case is a murder trial involving a 5th Amendment issue about a statement that may have be coerced. Students will play the role of attorneys, witnesses, and other courtroom positions. They will be developing their own motions and examination questions to present in court. Competitions take place in real courtrooms and student performance is evaluated by actual attorneys and judges.

Participating in Mock Trial is a great way to make new friends and develop skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership. The team practices twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays until the first county invitational event in December. After that, they will practice more as they get ready for the San Joaquin County competition in February. The top team from the county competition will go on to the state finals in March with a chance to make it to the national competition which is in Boise, Idaho this year.

More information about the Mock Trial program can be found here: http://crf-usa.org/mock-trial-program/what-is-mock-trial

The MHHS Mock Trial team is currently on the hunt for attorney coaches who would be willing to help prepare the team for competition. They are also looking for more students who would like to get involved on the team.

For more information on serving as an attorney coach or joining the team, please contact Brian Schum bschum@lammersvilleusd.net.