The newly reinstated Timber Creek Mock Trial Team is looking for more students to participate in the coming year.
A Mock Trial is the imitation of a real trial. The students act out every part of a courtroom including attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, and even judges in the higher levels of competition.
In the beginning of the school year, the team receives the case that they will use for competition. The case includes evidence, specific laws, and witness affidavits, which the team will study and prepare both a prosecution and a defense argument that they will bring with them to competition. Prior to the trial the team decides who will be the witnesses and who will be the attorneys. The witnesses each have a specific role that is provided in the case the team receives in the beginning. The witnesses study their assigned affidavits and the attorneys come up with questions for each witness, for both prosecution and defense.
After the team receives their case they spend several months practicing and preparing their arguments. At competition the team will argue both sides of the case, prosecution and defense, at least twice so they need to come prepared with both. The team will go up against another group of students and a student judge. They are also judged by an adult who assesses their performance and knowledge about the case. After several rounds the winners are determined by their actual winnings, and overall performances.
The Mock Trial team is a way for any student to experience the way that a courtroom works, especially if they are interested in any field of law.
“I joined Mock Trial because I was always interested in being an attorney,” said sophomore Chloe Baker, “But didn’t expect much, because the team was not fully together and not very many students new about the club.”
At the beginning of the 2017-2018 year the team was very new and only had about five members altogether. They joined into their district competition late, and only had about two weeks to prepare. They came into the competition nervous and unprepared, but managed to come out strong and advance to the state competition. After a long and fun weekend at state in Austin, TX, the team was closer than ever and ready to jump into the next year strong.
“Not only did I learn a lot, I made so many great friends and had so much fun,” said freshman, Sunshine Haskins.
If students are interested in joining Timber Creek’s Mock Trial Team they can contact the team’s sponsor, Heathar Parker at: Heathar.Parker@kellerisd.net or stop by her room at M226.
