Mock trial a chance to learn

STEUBENVILLE -- Before the Jefferson County Bar Association's annual Law Day Mock Trial could even begin Friday, Steubenville Municipal Judge John Mascio was getting an earful from one of the student litigants involved in a fictional motion to suppress he was going to be hearing that day.

At issue was whether the statement a fictional high school student gave fictional school administrators and the school resource officer without first being Mirandized violated his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and thus was illegally obtained.

Students from the three schools -- Buckeye Local and Steubenville high schools and the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School -- took turns arguing the merits of the case, trying to convince a three-judge panel to rule in their favor.

The first trial featured Buckeye Local students playing the role of prosecutors, with Steubenville students representing the defendant.

Joining Mascio on the bench for Round 1 were Common Pleas Judge Michelle Miller and Wintersville county court Judge Michael Bednar.

The second hearing -- with Steubenville students as prosecutors and JVS students arguing for the defense -- was before Mascio, Toronto county court Judge Lisa Ferguson and Attorney Eric Reszke.

"The kids do so very well and put so much effort into this, despite their busy schedules," Miller said afterward. "It was clear that they did so much hard work in preparation for today's events. I'm always happy to participate."

The students spend months preparing for trial, studying briefs and witness statements and reviewing case law.

Buckeye Local 's attorney adviser and coach, Joe Rine, said a lot of the preparation "was me doing my best imitation of a law school professor, putting them on the spot, asking them questions, trying to get them to think like an attorney."

"Then we actually got into the nuts and bolts of how this case is going to work and what our issues are," he said.

"I think it gives kids in high school who are looking for a potential career path a little chance to see how the legal process works, and it gives them a chance to do something that's a little outside the box and learn to prepare for something that may feel a bit uncomfortable," Rine explained, adding there's "a general understanding that it's good guys vs. bad guys, but at the end of the day, everybody's supposed to be on the same team and that's the side of justice."

Rine said they did their final preparations Thursday."

"I walked into the classroom and they were playing 'Just Dance' on YouTube," he said. "Every other day that I walked in it was like a funeral parlor, so I think they're feeling kind of loose and ready to go. But it was a slow process to get ready for it.

Cherie Metcalf, Steubenville's coach, said students were at her door the first day of school wanting to know when mock trial practice was going to start, "especially the ones who have done it in previous years.

"Almost always, when a student has done a mock trial they stay with it every year," Metcalf said. "I think out of 26 years of doing this, I've had two students who did not continue. Students love it. They want to continue."

Students prepare for mock trial competitions, not just Jefferson County Law Day. Once case materials come in, they start preparing, rehearsing and meeting with their advisers, Prosecutor Jane Hanlin and Dillonvale county court Judge David Scarpone, before going through a dress rehearsal in front of Miller. Along the way the professionals "give them pointers, especially about courtroom decorum and the case itself, the legalities of the case," she said.

"They study case laws that pertain to the case at hand that they're competing with," she added. "So, they learn a lot, they learn about their rights and responsibilities as a United States citizen."

Mascio said the bar association's mock trial "is always a fun day."

"I participated as a lawyer in this program before, but not as judge," he said afterward. "I really found it rewarding, not just for the students but for me as a professional."

Mascio said the mock trial is a "wonderful opportunity for students to interact with real lawyers, prosecutors and judges and better enable them to determine whether or not law is a career path they might consider."

"The other thing is that I and every other lawyer and judge I know has had some sort of mentorship along the way," Mascio pointed out. "We owe it to our community and the legal profession to do the same for (others)."

Scarpone, chairman of the law day activities, said the event is "the bar association's way of getting in touch with the community, especially the young people in our community. "

"It isn't just about the legal profession -- it's actually about getting young people exposed to actual trial preparation and learning about the legal system. "

The day's agenda included a tour of the jail and the courthouse, "so it's really an educational way of reaching out to young people, some of whom become lawyers."

Participating in the event were:

• Jefferson County JVS: Cameron Mollenkopf, J.D. McClain, Hayden Caldwell, Dale Parmer, Allison Clifford, Caleb Phillips, Taranisa Lindsey, Zack Strauss, Cesar Vaca, Ireland Emery, T. Donahue, Faith Stewart, Hunter Allison, Josh Earich Kaedyn Ellison and Jaylyn DiLoreto. Their teacher is Jamie Freeman, and Alex Vance and Logan Graham served as the JVS attorney advisers.

• Buckeye Local: Nyja Short, Jazzy Yone, Myste Carter, Cassie Burunead, Gage Cermak, A.U. Devare, Dominic Hrancho, Megan Burrier, Syanee Varok, Melina Monogloudia, Raygun Lengule, Lizzy Stock and Daune Carter. Their teacher is Charlie Sempkowski and their attorney adviser is Rine.

• Steubenville: Camden Daley, Liam O'Brian, Francis Desany, Noah West, Mason Stoll, Mason Gray, Lettie Friona, Alli Miller, Ashley Toothman, Jayda Stinson, Kellen Marshall and Vasile Matzorkis. Metcalf was their teacher and Hanlin and Scarpone served as attorney advisers.