SSHS mock trial team goes to the nationals

The 2015 National High School Mock Trial Championship is underway in Raleigh, North Carolina, with the team from Saipan Southern High School representing the CNMI.

Members of the Saipan Southern High School Mock Trial team have their picture taken with Associate Justice John A. Manglona after a practice before the justice prior to departing the CNMI. From left, Jin Pyo Jeon, Aaron Tiger Lee, Mikhail Alcantara, Jun Seo Park, Associate Justice John A. Manglona, Eliezha May Mendoza, Annika Mattias, Sung Min Kim, Emily DeWitt, and Ezekiel Rafanan. (Contributed Photo)

This is the 16th year that the CNMI will participate at the national level in mock trial.

SSHS prevailed in the 17th CNMI Mock Trial Championship in February this year.

Prior to leaving Saipan, the team performed in front of Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio, Associate Judge Joseph Camacho, and Associate Justice John A. Manglona.

The team also scrimmaged against volunteer lawyers and law clerks, with Michael Witry representing the defense and Charles Brasington, Clifford Kato, and Joseph Hallahan portraying the defense witnesses. The SSHS team is currently in North Carolina with their attorney coaches, Michael Sato and Claire Kelleher-Smith, and their teacher coach, Frank Borja, preparing for the competition and scrimmaging against championship teams from Mississippi, Florida, Guam, and Hawaii.

Prior to the actual competition, the team will also participate in other organized pre-competition activities this week, such as an exchange of state pins or collectibles with the students from the other jurisdictions.

The actual competition will consist of four rounds of competition on May 15 and 16 where teams from U.S. and international jurisdictions will vie for the top two positions in the tournament. The top two teams will compete in the championship round on Saturday evening. During the rounds the teams will represent the plaintiff and the defendant in a complex mock civil trial steeped in North Carolina history.

The Public School System, the CNMI Bar Association, and various generous financial supporters have sponsored the team’s travel to the competition. The CNMI Bar Association, the CNMI Judiciary, and various members of the Judiciary and bar have generously supported the team by dedicating time to the team during its preparation. The team is honored to represent the CNMI and is grateful for all of the support it has received. As the students and coaches are committed to preparing, time will be devoted to expressing gratitude to the individual sponsors and contributors once the competition has concluded and a full list of sponsors has been compiled. (NMI Judiciary)