The mock trial classes at the Career and Technology Education Center are on their final day of trial. Being the third class of the legal pathway, students in this class put to use their prior education about court systems, practices, and government to piece together a trial based on fictional cases.
“[Those that typically take this class] are students that are interested in becoming attorneys or just very interested in the law and how it functions,” Mock Trial teacher Mark Bryant said. “I think the appeal of Mock Trial is that whether you become an attorney or not, it teaches you a great skill set to speak in front of people, to speak persuasively, listen carefully, and to respond quickly to arguments.”
Students can play for the prosecution or defense side and take on one of two roles during trial: attorney or witness. Senior Mia Duttarer has been in the shoes of both attorneys and witnesses and learns in the process, no matter the role.
“I’d say both are extremely difficult and extremely valuable positions in the mock competition,” Duttarer said. “Being a witness, it’s really about being believable, having a good character and, again, having that work ethic to be able to memorize your fact statement and to know all of your information. Then being an attorney, I would say it’s the same amount of work ethic. You have to prepare questions, be ready to handle any objections that come your way, and it’s really just a lot of hard work for both.”
Typically, students work through cases by the Dallas Bar Association that were used in the Texas High School Mock Trial Competition. But recently, the class has been working an AMTA (American Mock Trial Association) case that are typically for college students. For Independence High School junior Adithi Anandarao, the switch from a DBA case to an AMTA case was more challenging due to shorter examination times and unpredictably of witnesses. Anandarao welcomed and enjoyed being put to the test.
“Normally for all of the other cases that we’ve tried, they are with the Texas mock trial, but essentially it’s a lot more strict now,” Anandarao said. “It’s a high school mock trial, so there’s a lot more of a structure given to you. “It was quite stressful as well because it was very different, but it was much more much closer to the way that actual trial is conducted, so it was extremely interesting, and it was really really fun.”
Duttarer would recommend anyone, whether it’s someone curious about the legal pathway or a future, to get a taste of Mock Trial and all of its benefits.
“I would recommend the legal pathway to pretty much everyone, even if they’re not interested in law,” Duttarer said. “I think that it really helps build confidence, it really helps with your public speaking, being articulate, and, again, the work ethic too. To be able to have, taking, these types of courses can prepare you for any future endeavors or future career path you take.”
Despite the challenging course load and intense trial days, Anandarao believes students will take away a number of skills and passions from the class.
“This is a great class to take,” Anandarao said. “It gives you so many foundations, so many basics, and gives you this amazing insight into what being a trial attorney is like. It is such an amazing experience for people that are looking to go into the field of law, but additionally, even if you’re not interested in law, it is just one of those classes that is so fun and different.”
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In room C145 Mark Bryant teaches Court Systems, Foreign Diplomacy, and Mock Trial.
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The CTE has its very own courtroom to help stimulate a legal and professional environment for students. During class trials timekeepers help make sure both sides, prosecution and defense, stick to their allotted times. In the grey is Independence senior Siddharth Verma Somalaraju and in the black is Liberty senior Vihaan Raizada.
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Former FBI agent turned Mock Trial teacher Mark Bryant presides over the courtroom in a black robe. He goes from being called Mister to “Your Honor”.
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Between the prosecution and defense tables is a podium where attorneys can direct and cross examine witnesses. Pictured in pink is Lebanon Trail junior Claire Davidson.
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Just like a real courtroom, the CTE courtroom has a Judge’s bench where teacher Mark Bryant sits to command the room and keep the trial on course.
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The jury box is typically where peers, a fancy way of saying random citizens, sit and judge the defendant and decide their fate. In classroom trials, students who are not participating in that round as a attorney or witness sit in the box and observe or keep time.
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The prosecution sits at the table closest to the jury box. The prosecution is also known as “the State” in criminal cases. In civil cases the prosecution is actually the plaintiff. Juniors Valeria Martinez and Adithi Anandarao sit on the side of the prosecution, hoping for a conviction of the defendant.
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The defense side sits at the table furthest from the jury. The defense can have up to three attorneys and the defendant at the table with them. Photographed juniors Madison Mintz (right) and Swara Shedge (left) on the defense side.
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Juniors Valeria Martinez and Adithi Anandarao are an attorney-witness duo. Martinez direct examines, which is asking open-ended questions, while Anandarao answers to inform the jury on her witness’s side of the story.
