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Show SDJH students wear lawyers cap There may be some future attorneys at-torneys getting a background in law who are attending South Davis Junior Ju-nior High School. And their practical experience comes in the form of "mock trials' which are under way at the University Univer-sity of Utah School of Law. Eleven students are competing in the trial. Each "case' requires four student attorneys, three witnesses and a clerk-bailiff, according to Kay Anderson, social studies teacher at SDJH who is in charge of the school's mock trial team. The 1 1 student members are Emily Emi-ly Kilgore, Angie Brewster, Melissa Coombs, Claire Gillmor, Cindi Hawkins, Jon Hull, Becky Whitchurch, Whit-church, Chantel Nielson, Nathan Morris, Misti Williams and Jeannie Morrison. Bountiful attorney, Dan Matthews, provides legal counsel to the students. The students learn as much as possible in the classroom through the use of three text books: Street Law, Criminal Justice and Trial Advocacy. Although the students practice a modified procedure of "rules and evidence, there is still a lot of study which goes into each case. Students must also have extensive exten-sive knowledge of (1) opening and closing statements, (2) direct and cross examinations, (3) how to pre sent evidence, (4) how to impeach a witness and (5) court strategy. All schools in Utah use the case involving the First Amendment and the freedom of the press. It entails a story which was to be printed in a school newspaper but was confiscated con-fiscated by the principal who alleged alleg-ed that the article was not factual or accurately documented. "We won our first case using the side of the plaintiff said Anderson. Ander-son. "Now we must defend the students right to publish the story by alleging the event was not a school-sponsored function and that the information was factually accurate,' accu-rate,' she said. Each mock trial is judged by a panel of three a judge or practicing attorney as head judge, and an attorney at-torney and educator. Following the trial, the judging panel will personally per-sonally critique the performance of the mock trial participants. Participants are judged on performance per-formance as well as merits of the trial, it was emphasized. Winning teams will compete in a "playoff" to determine the state champion. Judging is done on a one-to-five basis of several aspects of the mock trial, with a total of 240 points possible, Anderson explained. The statewide competition is co-sponsored co-sponsored by the Utah Law and Citizens Education and the Utah Bar Association. |
