Lessons in justice
Courtroom setting brings realism to mock trial
Seventh-graders Jacolby
Rodder and Laila Melvin gave
powerful opening statements
to a jury of seven peers
during a recent mock trial at
the Charles G. Monnett III
& Associates, a law firm in
Charlotte. Oaklawn Language
Academy students stepped
into the roles of jury, district
attorneys, defense counsel,
court officers, witnesses and
court clerks for the fictional
case of Kelly Simon v. Terry
Swift and Eastside High.
“My team and I have been preparing since March. I rewrote my opening
statement twice,” said Jacolby, who acted as counsel for the defendant.
“Before today, I thought law was boring but it isn’t. I like getting my point
across.”
The case was fictional but the setting was real. The law firm’s courtroom
has a judge’s bench, a jury box, witness stand, a gallery for spectators and
tables for the plaintiff, the defendant and their respective counsel.
“I participated in a mock trial when I was in sixth grade and it stuck with
me,” said Amanda Berger, an English Language Arts teacher. “It’s a great way
to get students to see different perspectives, learn about the justice system
and work on essential skills.”
The teams were not assigned role ́չѥ