On February 26, the mock trial team competed against Middletown for their fourth match this season. The prosecution had a huge win against Middletown, with a score of 49-39. The team has had four consecutive wins and hopes to continue their streak. They are currently #1 in the county.

Each year, the mock trial team prepares a case provided by MyLaw. Every mock trial team in Maryland uses the same case and competes against each other–arguing either the defense or the prosecution/plaintiff ‘s side. Students on the team not only portray attorneys, but also act as victims, witnesses and bailiffs.

One of mock trials co-advisors, Jamie Hendi, would agree that the team is particularly strong this year. Susan Peterson is the co-advisor.  Both women are former lawyers.

“We have a lot of seniors with a lot of experience, and shadows with lots of exposure on how it works. Everybody really wants to work hard.”

Throughout the winter, the team has been working hard to prepare this case. In simplified terms, the case is a criminal case involving cyberbullying. The defendant, Biff Tannen, is accused of the cyberbullying and harassment of her/his ex-significant other, Marty McFly. After being broken up with by McFly, Tannen posted a mortifying memory of McFly from when they were in a relationship.

After requesting Tannen to delete the post, McFly walked by Marty, and they bumped shoulders. Tannen interpreted this physical contact to be volatile, and they started fighting. Marty McFly sustained a concussion because of this fight and later was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a mental breakdown because of the comments that were being made on Tannen’s Instagram posts.

The case this year is particularly interesting because of how familiar the experience is to students. This case highlights cyberbullying and cyber abuse. As our world becomes more technologically dependent, practices like these are more common and teenagers have to be aware of what they post on the internet and how it can be interpreted by others.

Sucess breeds success. The team was in the finals in 2018, and membership is growing because LHS has a reputation for excellence.  Other schools measure their skill against top performers like LHS.

Macy Armagost, MaKenzie Llewellyn, and Sam Everett lead the prosecution. Years of experience has prepared them to demonstrate their excellence this year. Members also look forward to the testimony of Doctor Emme Brown, since Emily Alberson, who portrays her, is always sharp on the stand.

Mock trial increases critical thinking, listening, reasoning, and public speaking skills. It also provides a further understanding of legal processes.

“There are so many reasons for someone to do mock trial. It’s awesome for critical thinking skills, analytic skills, and argumentative skills.” Hendi said. “Where else do you get to argue for it to be okay, and even expected?”

The team has two more competitions before playoffs, one on February 28 and one March 5.