MOCK trial

In this article, Sir Phoenix discusses GPHS' Mock Trial club, what it is about, what the case is this year, and what it can do for post-secondary preparedness.

GPHS mock trial

By: Sir Phoenix C. Robinson

Actors and lawyers are both commonly sought-after jobs. Imagine a club that perfectly combines both interests in a way that is educational, fun, and opens doors to career. That club exists and its name is Mock Trial.

Image from Audrey Roetling

Mock Trial is an extracurricular club at Grants Pass High School that is open to grades 9 through 12. Cases are handed down by the Civics Learning Project and contain witness statements (or affidavits), pre-trial documents, evidence, and jury instructions. These cases are given to schools across Oregon and, in this club, those cases are studied, practiced, and memorized front to back until they are argued in a real court. Schools that perform well get to go to state. In Mock Trial, there are three types of roles that a student will fill: the role of attorney, the role of a witness, or the role of court staff.

Students who play as attorneys develop questions for witnesses alongside opening or closing statements. Generally, an attorney will have one witness that they direct examine and one witness that they will cross-examine. Attorneys work with the witnesses that they are directly examining and the questions they ask allow for a narrative to be created. When it is time for competition, lawyers cross-examine witnesses from a different team. Attorneys and the witnesses they directly examine are always on the same team, school, and side of the case-- whether it be defense or prosecution. Attorneys who cross-examine witnesses do not share a team or school and are on opposite sides of the case.

Image of the Jackson County Courthouse where regional competitions are held. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Students who play as witnesses must memorize the story that their “character” has provided in their affidavit. When it is time for trial, they have to both act as a convincing portrayal of the witness while remaining true to the facts of the case. Witnesses are examined a maximum of four times-- but usually three. There is direct examination, in which an attorney that the witness has practiced with asks a series of questions to the witness to try and tell a story that helps the team’s case. Next is cross-examination, in which an opposing attorney asks questions to the witness in an attempt to either discredit the witness or discredit the opposing team’s case theory. The two final types of questioning are optional-- those being redirect and recross. Redirect and recross are exactly like the questioning periods before them but are limited to fewer questions and are given a shorter time to execute. The last role that students can play is the staff of the court. The Court Clerk, who is supposed to act as the assistant of the judge, and the Court Bailiff, who acts as the timekeeper. The Court Clerk also signs in witnesses and the Court Bailiff also announces the judge at the start of trial.

This year’s case is a unique one: a case of murder in the second degree. The fictional defendant, Quinn Spencer, is on trial after they and local Prom Queen Sabrina Callahan went from prom to an oceanside cliff, with Callahan never returning. The prosecution alleges that Spencer shoved Callahan off the cliff and into the sea below. It is the defense’s job to show in what ways the claim is or could be false. This year’s case has plenty of fascinating twists and turns that really make a difficult case for either side to prove. For example, Sabrina went missing on the same day as a Prom Queen twenty-five years ago. This second prom queen was also allegedly murdered-- but by a serial killer instead. Another notable part of this case is the lack of witnesses at the actual scene of the crime. There are only two people in the array of the six witnesses who saw the defendant and victim at the cliff edge. Both of them have conflicting stories. Arguably, the most important part of this case is that, while the charges are murder, no body has been found.

Mock Trial’s club advisor is Kathy Mathews, a Social Studies teacher at Grants Pass High School. When asked why she decided to become the advisor, she said, “I participated in Mock Trial in high school and I loved it.” When asked about some knowledge that aspiring Mock Trialers should know, she stated, “Mock Trial is such a good way to practice real world, employability skills, even if you don't want to be a lawyer. You learn how to be professional, to speak well in public, to advocate for yourself and so much more. It is a lot of work, but really rewarding.” She also added more about the hard parts of Mock Trial, saying “Mock Trial season is a lot of work for one or two performances. I wish there were more opportunities to compete. For the students, I think the most challenging part is having the confidence to perform. It takes guts to make and defend your argument in front of a bunch of people who are trying to prove you wrong.” The last question asked was about Ms. Mathews’ favorite part of Mock Trial. She responded with, “I love how you never know what is going to happen, how you get to think critically, and how you get to work closely with real lawyers. I also love seeing you guys grow in confidence, grow as friends, and have fun with the law. It is exciting to watch you perform and it is especially fun to watch you win!”

Elizabeth Dugan is one of the co-captains of the school’s Mock Trial Team. When asked about her favorite part of Mock Trial, she responded, “Personally, I really like the puzzle piece aspect of Mock Trial. It’s one of my favorites. I like to analyze things. I also really like the community that we’ve made. It’s welcoming, but it is also competitive enough to push you to the next level. Because if one fails, you all fail. And if one succeeds, you all succeed.” In response to the prompt of what the most challenging part of Mock Tril was, Dugan said, “Cross-examination. A lot of people have a tendency to hide behind masks and I feel like cross-examination is a place where you can blatantly point out someone’s lies and not be made the villain. And tedious self-directed work. If you don’t have the motivation to keep up your end of the team, you fail.”

Mock Trial is a club that offers a unique opportunity to practice necessary skills needed for the post-secondary world. Not only is the opportunity itself unique, but it is also fun, engaging, and educational. To many, this club is what they have been dreaming of. To any reader, I highly recommend giving it a shot.

Image from Phoenix Robinson

Sources:

Civics Learning Project
Interview with Kathy Mathews, Mock Trial Club Advisor
Interview with Elizabeth Dougan, Mock Trial Co-Captain

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