Students participate in Mock Trial Competition on January 16, 2012

On Monday, January 16th, 2012 at the Sudbury Court House, local judges will be greeted by a new generation of "lawyers" as Grade 12 law students in legal gowns begin their opening arguments at the annual Mock Trial Competition. Close to 100 students from the Rainbow District School Board, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and the Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario will participate in the Mock Trials.

“Students from Sudbury area secondary schools have fully embraced the Mock Trial program. They are taking advantage of the wonderful opportunity of working with local lawyers to experience the inside workings of the criminal justice system. Their enthusiasm and hard work is inspiring,” says  Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy. “Effective criminal trials are the result of hours of preparation on the part of lawyers and witnesses.  These students, working under the direction of their law teachers and with additional coaching from the Sudbury Bar, are going through the same process of preparation that lawyers experience daily.”

Secondary schools participating in the 2012 competition include Confederation Secondary School, Espanola High School, Lasalle Secondary School, Lockerby Composite School, Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, Sudbury Secondary School, St. Benedict’s Secondary School, St. Charles College, and Collège Notre-Dame. 

At this year’s Mock Trial, students will prosecute and defend the case of Her Majesty the Queen versus Justin(e) Pieber.  Justin(e) Pieber stands charged that s/he, on or about the 3rd day of September, 2011 in the City of Yourtown in the Region of Yourtown, did, unlawfully possess a loaded firearm, contrary to section 95 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

The two winning teams will participate in the Championship Trial, seeking to win the coveted Hennessy Cup, named after Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy, Mock Trial Project Leader since its inception 11 years ago. A number of additional awards will be presented – Best Advocate Defense, Best Advocate Crown, Best Witness and the Civility Award for professionalism.

Rainbow District School Board Chair, Doreen Dewar, thanks the volunteer coaches from the Sudbury and District Law Association and the Sudbury Crown Attorney’s Office who, year after year, provide hundreds of hours of time to this project.  “Through the Mock Trial Competition, local lawyers make an invaluable contribution to student learning by bringing the classroom into the courtroom,” she says. “Many students have been inspired to pursue studies in the legal field after secondary school.” She adds: “We commend the legal community for being exceptional role models for community service and student success.”

The Mock Trial Competition is well established within the Grade 12 Law curriculum. In addition to meeting curriculum expectations, mock trials develop other skills in students, including public speaking, teamwork, presentation, preparation and critical thinking skills.

“Students who participate in the Mock Trial project will experience the courts in a unique way.  They will be the actors not the spectators,” says Madame Justice Patricia C. Hennessy. “In order to act out each of their roles, they will have to grasp the fundamental principles of courts in a democratic society.  We believe that all Canadians should appreciate the key role that courts play in society and there is no better way to do this than to have the students experience a trial. Those citizens who understand the criminal justice system will be able to critically analyse news reports of trials and appreciate the consequences of them.”  

She adds: “It is our hope that these students will be engaged citizens, whose experience of the court process will give them an understanding of important events in the life of the community.  We also know that this experience creates confident advocates, whether as students, citizens or professionals.”

The Mock Trial Competition will begin at 8:30 am in Courtroom A, with an opening address by area judges. (Observers must arrive on time in order to gain entry for this portion of the proceedings.) Trials will continue throughout the day and culminate with the championship trial from 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. The Awards Ceremony will begin at 2 pm. The public is welcome to attend. Photographs will be permitted throughout the proceedings.

Local winners will go on to the Northeastern Mock Trial Competition to be held in early March. Regional winners will compete in the province-wide finals in Toronto in the spring.

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Media Contact:

Tiffany Roberts, Curriculum Co-ordinator,

Rainbow District School Board, 705-523-3308, ext. 8209.