Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Death, divorce and garbage: Teens take over the courts for YMCA Mock Trial Championships this weekend in Olympia

Hundreds of Washington state high school students will battle in Olympia on March 28-30 over a complex murder case involving a mysterious death, a contentious divorce, the meaning of a zipper pull, and just who has the right to search our garbage?

The competition will pit 20 high school teams from around the state against each other in the fictitious murder trial, each team competing to win the YMCA Mock Trial State Championship. The students engage in four rounds of competition, serving alternately as prosecution and defense in the mock trials, before the top two teams compete for the championship on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Judges and attorneys from across the state volunteer throughout the weekend to preside over the trials and rate the teams.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Fairhurst will preside over the championship round on Sunday.

The competition begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Thurston County Courthouse, 2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW in Olympia. Teams will be competing in courtrooms throughout the courthouse buildings. On Saturday, competition continues with rounds beginning at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. 4 p.m.  The winning team will compete in the 2008 National Mock Trial Championship.

Teams competing in the Championship competition include:

 

Benton/Franklin counties	Kennewick High School Tri Cities Prep
Clallam/Jefferson counties	Port Townsend High School
Clark County	Ft. Vancouver (A Team) Ridgefield (Orange Team) Columbia High School Ridgefield (Blue Team)
King County	Seattle Prep (A Team) Franklin High School Eastside Catholic Mercer Island High School University Prep Seattle Prep (B Team)
Snohomish	Archbishop Murphy (Seniors) Archbishop Murphy (Returners)
Spokane County	The River Academy
Thurston County	Olympia High School
Whatcom County	Meridian High School Lynden High School (Team 1) Lynden High School (Team 2)

The Mock Trial program is part of the YMCA Youth & Government Program, which works to help young people experience democracy in action through both Mock Trial and the YMCA Youth Legislature program. The Youth & Government program celebrated its 60^th anniversary in 2007, and the Mock Trial program celebrated its 20^th anniversary the same year.

Mock Trial allows students to participate in a true-to-life courtroom drama. High school teams of attorneys and witnesses prepare the case for trial and compete at district levels before real judges in actual courtrooms. “Juries" of attorneys rate the teams for their presentation, while the presiding judges rule on the motions, objections, and ultimately the merits. Participants develop critical thinking and analytical skills, learn the art of oral advocacy, and gain a respect for the role of law and the judiciary. The district winning teams compete for the state championship.

            CONTACT: Janelle Nesbit, YMCA Youth & Government Director, (360) 357-3475.

Wendy K. Ferrell Judicial Communications Manager 360.705.5331 e-mail Wendy.Ferrell@courts.wa.gov

Lorrie Thompson Communications Officer 360.705.5347 Lorrie.Thompson@courts.wa.gov