High school mock trial commences

The CNMI 2017 high school mock trial competition started yesterday at the Guma Hustitia, with several schools arguing over a fictitious case for the right to represent the CNMI at the nationals in Connecticut this year.

The competition is intended to showcase the students’ ability to debate, think, and analyze a case. Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School, Saipan International School, Grace Christian Academy, Tinian Jr. Sr. High School, and defending champion Mount Carmel School would be competing to represent the CNMI in the Mock Trial Championship in Hartford, Connecticut in May later this year.

School teams will be facing off in the fictitious case Kelsey Reed vs. the CNMI, where Reed is charged with two counts of cyberstalking Jamie Alaxanian through a college campus-sponsored chatroom.

The contestants are expected to choose a side and either prosecute or defend their client.

Teammates Aeyanna Maratita and Grace Zhang said they were both nervous and excited about the mock trial. At the same time, they think it is a good exposure to the way trials are held.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to show our court skills,” said Maratita.

During the coaching period, which lasted a few months, the contestants learned about the significance of certain roles in the courtroom as well as how to examine witnesses, hear testimonies, and learn the rules of the courtroom.

“We owe a lot to our coaches because of what they taught us,” said Maratita.

Zhang and Maratita both shared that a career in law may be a possibility.

Minna Ito, of another team, is also excited about the mock trial.

“I am excited and nervous to see how [the trial] plays out against the other school and how far we have come as a team,” said Ito.

“I learned a lot about having teamwork, working together, maintaining cooperation with the team. I have also learned a lot about public speaking, talking to a judge, and making arguments as well,” she added.

Ben Byers, law clerk to Justice Perry B. Inos, and coach of the Saipan Southern High School team, said that mock trials improve students’ ability to think on their feet and how to process a lot of information.

“Issues are not black and white. You can read the exact same set of facts in a lot of different ways, which is not necessarily something you can get in a lot of classrooms,” said Byers.

Today is the second day of the mock trial competition. A winner is expected to be announced.