Like to argue? Enjoy public speaking? Interested in law or acting? If so, Mock Trial is the club for you! 

First, what is Mock Trial?

Mock Trial is one of the most successful and competitive clubs at FHS. It simulates trials using fictitious cases, typically made by the Mass Bar Association, that change every year. There are two types of cases: civil and criminal. Also, there are two main roles for club members: Attorneys and Witnesses.

The attorney is in charge of creating a line of questioning that is either helpful to the witness (or not helpful, if the attorney is opposing the witness.) If the attorney is opposing the witness, they would be recognized as a Cross Attorney, and the Attorney on the witness’s side would be considered a Direct Attorney. Members of the club with a witness role will be given a person in the trial to play. This role will align with the affidavit also given, which the club member should know very well. 

Watch the attached video for a demonstration of a Direct Examination vs. a Cross Examination. 

What was Last Year’s Case (Not Real – Made By Mass Bar Association):

Last year, Mock Trial had a criminal case involving three friends (Alex MacArthur, Katherine Denger, and Clarke Painter) who tried to rob a former high school classmate (Hank Isselback) who owned a convenience store. The three friends believed that Isselback owed them money from highschool. During this attempted robbery, Clarke Painter decided to hand over a loaded gun to Alex MacArthur. Painter told MacArthur that the gun was a water gun, and proceeded to tell MacArthur that he should go inside the store and scare Isselback into giving money to them. He then shot the sibling of the store owner with the gun that Painter gave him. MacArthur was shocked and Painter claimed that he thought it was a toy water gun. 

FHS Mock Trial was split into two groups, the Prosecution and Defense where on each side, they argued against the defendant and for the defendant respectively. Both sides worked hard to prove the other side wrong. For example, one of the tactics that the Prosecution used was to try and prove that any person would know the difference between the weight of a real loaded gun vs. a water gun. 

The Mock Trial Team is competing against more than 100 other schools to be the winner of the Finals. The FHS Mock Trial Team has made it to the Sweet 16 round for the past three years, as well as the Finals 4 years ago – they are very proud of their accomplishments as a team!

How do I join?

There is an introductory meeting for NEW and RETURNING members on Thursday, September 8th, 2022 in Room 228 from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm to discuss the club in detail as well as the plan for the year. There will be auditions for roles which will be held at a later date. It would be helpful to bring a chromebook with you to the meeting. 

Mock Trial is an amazing experience. You gain real-world skills such as public speaking but also have fun while being a part of a competitive team. Being part of Mock Trial is like being part of a family; you can always count on each other for anything, from helping prepare you for an examination to making lifelong memories. 

Follow Mock Trial’s twitter page for updated information: Mock_FHS

For Information on Mock Trial Rules and Procedures, Visit their Website:   FHSMock.com

Also, feel free to reach out to club advisor Mr. Walsh or the Captains of the team with any questions!

Advisor: Mr. Walsh 

Email: [email protected]

Captains:

Nihara Lijan:  [email protected]

Audrey Bonnacci: [email protected]

Anurag Kavishwar: [email protected]