Order in the Court!

Post date: March 19, 2025

By Leigha Kline

It’s Sunday, February 1st, and the Southern Regional Mock Trial team has just arrived at the Ocean County Courthouse for the county’s annual Mock Trial competition. Competing against eight other teams from local high schools, Southern’s members hoped they could win at least one round before being sent home. Little did they know, by that afternoon, they would advance to the semi-finals, making Southern mock trial history. So, how’d they do it?

Short answer: dedication and preparation. After all, these wins didn’t come easy. The Southern team started preparing for the competition in late September, with meetings at least once a week. Roles were assigned, scripts were written and memorized, and practice runs were conducted with the hope of perfecting testimonies and litigation tactics. “I was just a mix of excited and nervous before competition day,” stated Donna Doherty, a first year team member. “I had no idea what to expect.” Still, the team had high hopes walking into the courthouse on that fateful Sunday morning.

Starting at 9AM, Southern’s team progressed through the rounds, albeit slowly. Before they knew it, they’d won their first round, and then suddenly they’d won their second. Within a few hours, they’d made Southern mock trial history, making it to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, their streak came to an end in the third round. When asked what she’d do differently if she’d had the chance, team member Meri Cassidy suggested, “I’d probably tell everyone to read more”. The team took the critique to heart and is already looking forward to next year's competition.