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By Casey Dyer
Mock Trial season has begun once again. Mock Trial is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an after school activity in which students interested in entering law after high school can get a peak into what it’s like to handle a legal case.
Each year, for the past 20 years, Mock Trial participants have been given a different case to tackle, with each person being given a different position which corresponds with real courtroom responsibilities. Students can be witnesses, dependence lawyers, prosecutors, and jurors.
This season saw a massive influx of students into the group, from all grade levels.
Ryan Hinton, the Mock Trial advisor for 17 years, said “I believe that is due to the success of our program over the years. While this is a serious academic competition - we have a lot of fun preparing for the competition.”
Photo Courtesy Jaelyn Smith
Two lawyers, Brady Whitman (left) and Kevin Levan (middle), discussing this year’s case with Addison Manning (right), a witness. As members of Mock Trial, students spend a lot of time practicing for the real trial.
Students do have a fun time, such as Alexander Ferrell, a junior joining for the first time. Ferrell is serving as a witness .
Ferrell said “as a witness, I get to watch practices go on and it’s very fun to see how everything plays out.”
In addition to fun, it is also a good stepping stone for people who plan to follow law as a career.
Hinton said “We have several former students who participated in Mock Trial here at PAHS who went on to earn their law degree and are now practicing attorneys in the real world.”
Kevin Levan, junior and 3 year veteran to the Mock Trial team, said “I’ve been interested in law for as long as I can remember. Mock Trial is a way I can explore law with others.”
Ferrell joined for the same reason, saying “I decided to join Mock Trial because of my life long interest in law.”
The team is confident in themselves and their potential this year. Hinton said “There is a lot of talent and potential on this team and I believe that we have the ability to compete with any of the teams in our local area. Our goal is to make it back to the District playoffs and to see how well we do from there.”
Levan agrees, saying “I think we will do well this year and easily make it to districts.”
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