While many students cheered on boys and girls basketball, another team made noise in the playoffs yesterday: the mock trial team advanced to the quarterfinals of the county playoffs for the first time in its history.
This year, one of the two Whitman teams won three out of their four trials, qualifying for the county playoffs for only the second time in team history. The team defeated Stone Ridge in the first round of the playoffs.
For the trial, teams choose three members to act as witnesses and three members to be lawyers for both the prosecution and the defense in their assigned fictional case. The teams prepare for their trial throughout the fall before competing in a series of trials in February. Teams are scored based on the quality of their presentation and the substance of their arguments.
This year’s case involved a cop who shot an unarmed teenager—similar to the Ferguson shooting.
The team usually practices once per week. During these practices, parents who are lawyers coach the team about law and each person’s specific role in court.
“The [professional lawyers] help the witnesses with their answers during the cross and direct examination and they guide the lawyers through their opening and closing statements,” junior Anjali Singh said.
Mock trial helps students understand the basics of law and debate, team captain Joe Szczesny said.
“It teaches you about public speaking and what it’s actually like to be part of a criminal trial,” he said. “It even teaches you about debate and acting too.”
Being part of the team also shows students that people interpret the same issue in many different ways, junior Olivia Blanchard said.
“Every school approaches the same case differently, because each school has a different perspective,” she said. “It’s like sassy academic theater.”
The team, which will now face Walter Johnson, will compete for a place in the county semifinals next Tuesday.
The team members are excited about their playoff success, and find mock trial’s realistic setting especially valuable, Singh said.
“Being in a real courtroom really gives you insight into what it’s like to be a lawyer,” she said.
