The Mock Trial team competed in the St. Louis preliminary rounds of the Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition Jan. 13 at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Clayton, alongside numerous public and private schools across the area.

Mock Trial is an academic competition that gives students hands-on experience in trial, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the legal system. Teams of seven students are assigned to represent either the plaintiff or defense in civil cases, and the prosecution or defense in criminal cases. The cases are pre-written, and each participant chooses to take on the role of either an attorney or a witness character during the competition.

“We spent every Tuesday the past few months practicing for competition day,” Addie Haines (10) said. “I was placed as an attorney on the plaintiff’s side in our civil case, and worked on writing a direct and cross examination during practices. I loved this role because it gave me experience in questioning.”

In addition to the attorney role, students can also choose to play a witness, where they must memorize a character deposition and deliver testimony in court that supports their team’s case. This role emphasizes acting skills and effective character portrayal.

“Being a witness is like roleplaying and participating in a high stakes memory game.” Sweeya Gandra (11) said. “I played an 11-year-old eyewitness, so I had to adjust my mannerisms in court to fit that character. You also have to know the rules of evidence as well as the lawyers do to avoid being trapped when doing a questioning from the other side.”

With months of hard work, the team’s effort culminated in a day filled with legal strategy. However, aside from the technical aspects of their roles, the members found that the competition offered rewards and enjoyment they hadn’t anticipated.

“My favorite part of the competition was bonding with my team and making new friends both in the Ladue program and from other schools,” Haines said. “I had also never been in a courtroom before so it was super cool to see. I really enjoyed the experience as a whole and would definitely recommend others to join.”