Posted in: Students & Educators › Middle School Mock Trial
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School took home first place in the 18th annual SC Bar State Mock Trial Competition held Nov.30 – Dec. 1 at the Richland County Central Court at Decker Center in Columbia. The win marks the school’s first championship title. Buist Academy of Charleston was named first runner-up.
Twelve middle schools advanced from the Regional Competitions in November to compete in the SC Bar State Mock Trial Competition. The students presented the prosecution and defense sides of a fictitious civil case before a panel of local volunteer lawyers and judges. This year’s fictitious civil case is Gray Fields v. Blume Development Corporation in which Gray Fields is suing a quarry development for the death of a child.
“These students worked hard for months and seeing it pay off was very rewarding,” said, Barbara Petit, teacher and attorney coach for Heathwood Hall Episcopal School. “It was a great experience and we’re very happy with our first state title.”
Buist Academy was led by attorney coach Elizabeth Bailey, which was named first runner-up.
“Watching my team perform in front of my fellow members of the Bar and learn about the civility and intellect of our profession was just amazing,” said Bailey.
During the competition, the teams and their coaches selected Chapin Middle School to win the Professionalism and Civility Award. The award was created to highlight professionalism among teams inside and outside the courtroom.
For more information about the Mock Trial case or program, visit www.scbar.org/lre.
The Mock Trial Program is sponsored by the SC Bar’s Law Related Education (LRE) Division, which was developed in 1976 to improve the ability of teachers to instruct law related education. The program is supported by the Bar’s LRE Committee and made possible through a SC Bar Foundation IOLTA grant and the SC Bar.