Special to NKyTribune
For those who have never heard of “Mock Trial,” the explanation is far less difficult than the participation.
Mock Trial, as you may imagine, is a pretend trial: all teams are given the same case scenario and must prepare for both sides of the case. All teams are given the same amount of time to develop their case, prepare their witnesses, and prepare for the trial.
For the past three years Judge Amul Thapar, with the assistance of Stephanie Dietz, a local attorney, and Michelle Snodgrass, Campbell County Commonwealth Attorney, have coached a Mock Trial Team at Covington Catholic High School.
This year’s Mock Trial team members are Zachary Thapar, Avery Dietz, William Aiken, Trey Rottinghaus, Jack Scharstein, Isaac Bouldery, Ethan Deters, Owen Piatt, and Matthew Baschaun.
They were in a competition at Yale on Saturday.
Five students Zachary Thapar, Avery Dietz, William Aiken, Trey Rottinghaus, and Jack Scharstein have been competing and representing Cov Cath since their sophomore years. “These young men have shown a level of commitment that is unparalleled,” says Amul Thapar, Federal Judge for the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. “It is a real privilege to work with them, and I am so proud of them for never backing down from a challenge.”
At the same time, Jim West, also an NKY attorney, has been coaching the Mock Trial team at Dixie Heights High School for seven years. This year’s team includes seniors, Jacob Boehner, Lauren Hudson, Sydney Jones, Allison Lloyd, Lauren Myfelt, Will Schneider, Sam Reister and Anna Claire West.
West believes participation in Mock Trial prepares these young women and men to stand up for themselves in life, speak in public, and learn how to advocate for others.
Northern Kentucky teams have a history of strong performances at the Kentucky High School Mock Trial Tournament. Dixie won back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. Earlier this year, Highlands High School won the 2017 tournament. Covington Catholic finished in 3rd place.
This year’s tournament will be a little different. The teams will be divided into two regions (Lexington and Louisville). Each region will host a two-day (four round) regional tournament beginning February 2, 2018. The top eight schools from each region will advance to the Kentucky High School Mock Trial
State Championship which will be held March 2-4th at the Kenton County Justice Center in Covington. This will be the first time in the history of the competition that the tournament will be held in Northern Kentucky.
Preparation for the competition can be grueling. Students volunteer their time. School, homework, sports, clubs, and other activities in which they participate come before Mock Trial.
Dietz stresses that “students need to have a strong knowledge of the rules of evidence, courtroom decorum, and direct and cross-examination of witnesses. Students must be able to defend their positions when questioned by a judge. Oratory skills are a must.
“It doesn’t matter if a student thinks he or she wants to be a lawyer or work in the legal profession someday. Mock Trial provides an invaluable experience for them in learning how to speak and deliver a message. These are real life skills they can take with them to college and someday into a job.”
Many states provide funding for their Mock Trial teams. Unfortunately, Kentucky isn’t one of them. So several of the coaches, including West, recently formed the Kentucky High School Mock Trial Association.
The purpose of the organization is three-fold: First, to organize and host the championship tournament ever year. Second, to encourage more high schools to participate in this exciting competition. Third, to raise money to expand and improve the tournament and so the championship team can travel and represent Kentucky at the National Championship.
West said, “We want our Kentucky competitors to have every opportunity that teams from other states have and we are willing to do what is necessary to make sure they do.”
“And we are not alone,” Dietz said. “Numerous practicing lawyers, judges, and judicial clerks volunteer countless hours to these teams. The lawyers in Northern Kentucky are some of the best in volunteering their time, so this comes as no surprise that high schools in Northern Kentucky have found success in mock trial competition.”
“However, competing in mock trial comes at a price. First, the students on the team must be willing to dedicate many, many hours to practicing for competitions. Also, funding for competitions is a challenge, particularly for an out-of-state tournament like the one at Yale,” West said.
“The Covington Catholic team believes it is up to the challenge, and is willing to make the effort and put in the work in order to see how they stack up against the best teams from across the country.” Dietz said.
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer in any way, please contact Stephanie Dietz at Dietz and Overmann, 859-757-4234.