A new Supreme Court justice may be a Buncombe County Schools student, already learning the legal skills needed, thanks to the North Carolina Mock Trial Program.
School teams from Western North Carolina took part in regional competition in Hendersonville in February. The legal scholars from A.C. Reynolds High School qualified to move on and show what they know at the statewide competition held in Raleigh in March.
“The competition at both levels is focused on a fictional case, and our team has to prepare for both sides,” explained Jennifer Turner, an A-B Tech instructor who teaches college-level criminal justice classes at Reynolds. “Having to prepare both the prosecution and defense is a huge challenge. Students are told mere minutes before each round of competition which side they’ll represent.”
Each team has three witnesses and three attorneys. The competition plays out much like a real courtroom.
“Student attorneys make opening and closing statements, conduct direct, redirect, and cross examinations of witnesses,” said Turner. “Additionally, the student attorneys have to make objections and prepare legal arguments for evidentiary issues. They have to do this for both sides of the case.”
During months of after school practices, the Reynolds team applied concepts learned in Turner’s classes. Members researched cases, rules of evidence, and criminal procedure. Turner also brought in additional advisors to help.
“We are grateful to Buncombe County District Court Judge Patricia Young, who volunteered her time and allowed the team to conduct a trial in her courtroom before state competition. Judge Young, along with Asheville attorneys Kristie Hedrick and Allison Quigley, provided valuable feedback to the team at the conclusion of the practice trial run.”
At the state competition, members of the Reynolds Mock Trial team certainly found favor in those judging student performance. During their respective rounds as lawyers, Isabella Antunes and Nevaeh Cassida were awarded Best Attorneys. In another round, Cassida and Reilly Rousseau won Best Witness awards.
“The ability to think on your feet and be able to use months of study in legal arguments goes beyond a courtroom,” says Turner. “Students learn the value of hard work and diligent preparation as well as learning the law itself. Students find that they possess a strength, courage, and ability that they didn’t know they had before the mock trial experience.”
Buncombe County Schools offers A-B Tech Criminal Justice courses on seven campuses in the district.