DOYLESTOWN – Opening. Ninety minutes. Closing. Verdict. Two sides, but only one winner.
The CB East Mock Trial team has a tough job, but they’re used to the pressure. Right now, the team is gearing up for this year’s competition. They’ll face down against other schools by presenting their case within the framework of legal ritual. Standing before the jury, it’s all or nothing; if the team loses the case, they’ll get knocked out of the running. In November, they’ll receive their case packets and have two months to compile pages and pages of raw information into an airtight argument.
“[Preparing a case] is so stressful. I would literally go to bed and envision myself making objections and my heart rate would go up. It actually doubled,” says officer Jaden Shkolnikov. But after placing 6th in the state tournament at the University of Pennsylvania last year, the team members feel that they can rise to the challenge. It’s no small feat; organized by the Young Lawyers Division of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, over 290 teams across Pennsylvania participate in the annual tournament. The winner goes on to represent the Keystone State in the national competition.
Last year, Roman Catholic High School of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia won the state competition at the Dauphin County courthouse and went on to the finals in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ultimately, the team from Ankeny High School in Iowa won the 2023 national Mock Trial championship. In January, our Patriots will return to the proceedings after months of work to make their case. Only time will tell how they do, but if last year is any indicator, this publication is confident that they will succeed in their goals.
The Mock Trial team’s next meeting is Tuesday 10/10 after school in the library, where they will continue to prepare for the coming season.
