Maryland Bar
Bulletin
Publications :
Bar Bulletin |
June, 2004 |
1,800+ MARYLAND HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN MSBA'S MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
~Largest Turnout in
Program's History as Park School Wins Competition~
By Janet Stidman Eveleth
Last fall, a record 142
teams of high school students, representing every circuit in the state,
began preparing for MSBA’s 2004 Mock Trial Competition, along with their
respective volunteer attorney and teacher coaches. On April 30, the two
finalists, the Park School in Baltimore County and Richard Montgomery High
School in Montgomery County, engaged in the final mock trial in the Court
of Appeals of Maryland, the Honorable Robert M. Bell, Chief Judge of the
Court of Appeals of Maryland, presiding. Park School won the 2004 MSBA
Mock Trial championship, but every student who participated was a winner.
Every year, this
entertaining and educational program attracts thousands of Maryland high
school students, teachers, attorneys and judges, and this year’s welcomed
the largest turnout yet in the competition’s 21-year history. Courtroom
drama unfolds as teams of students, coached by teachers and volunteer
lawyers, enact a mock trial while a volunteer judge deliberates. These
competitions begin in each county, advance to regional matches and
culminate with the state championship. This popular MSBA program teaches
young people about the law and enhances their understanding of our legal
system.
Through MSBA’s interactive
and educational contest, high school students learn firsthand about the
rule of law, trial procedures and the role of attorneys and judges. They
gain insight into the workings of our justice system and better understand
its function in society. They see the law in action and develop a more
constructive attitude about our country’s legal system. To date, over
30,000 young people have emerged from this competition as well-informed
citizens who are more knowledgeable about our legal system.
Over the course of the
competition, there were 600+ enactments of this year’s mock trial, which
involved a hazing incident. Hazing is a serious concern in today’s high
school environment. In this instance, a hazing incident occurred during a
senior get-together for juniors, escalated into a melee and led to
criminal arrests. The trials always involve contemporary high school
concerns so the issues are germane to the students’ lives.
MSBA’s Citizenship
Law-Related Education Program (CLREP) has presented this educational legal
contest since its inception in 1983. Working with students, teachers,
volunteer attorney coaches and judges, CLREP maps out the competition,
forms school teams, selects and analyzes a case and works with
participants to master team strategy. Most teams devote an average 100+
hours of preparation and competition time to the mock trial program,
although the time commitment does go as high as 150 hours for some teams.
MSBA sponsors the mock
trial competition as a public education program. It enables young people
to learn about the law, our court system and the legal system in a fun and
entertaining way. The volunteer attorneys and judges enjoy the
competition, too, and find it quite rewarding. They interact with students
in a creative and educational environment and get caught up in the
excitement along with the students.
