Victory for Lauralton’s Mock Trial Team

Posted by: Debbie Bowley on Sat, 26 March 2005 19:03:53

Mock Trial is an organization supported and coordinated by the Connecticut Consortium for Law & Citizenship Education that gives students with an interest in the law an opportunity to prepare and present hypothetical cases for trial. Lauralton’s Mock Trial team recently participated in the long-anticipated regional competition at Milford Superior Court against teams from Hill High School and West Haven High School. For the first time since its inception four years ago, Lauralton's Mock Trial Team returned with a victory!

The trial was a civil case involving a student suing a Board of Education for failing to teach him to read and write. Lauralton’s winning team represented the plaintiff and the opposing team was Hill High School. The meet was judged by three local volunteer attorneys.

Assisted by local attorneys Kevin Curseaden and Louis Bonsangue, the students began to prepare for this case in September. Team members studied the testimony of each of the witnesses and the lawyers formulated questions based on that testimony. The trial, which resembled a well-acted play, was very interesting to watch as the students learned first-hand about court etiquette, rules of objection, and direct and cross examination.

Lauralton’s Mock Trial Team officers include juniors Ashley Gray, Alyssa Reyes and Rachael Tarczali. In addition to the officers, team members Jane Becker, ’07, Jennifer Clark, ’08, Ryan Donahue, ’06, Cameron Hitson, ’06, Jelena Jukic, ’06, Kerry Maher, ’05, Cassandra Marro, ’08, Lamiya Norris, ’06, Megan Paqua, ’07, Serena Silva,’06 and Colette Toni, ‘06 participated in the competition.

Congratulations to the Mock Trial Team and advisor Marilyn Cummings!