The passion and hardwork behind the Mock Trial

 

 

Many students at Athens Drive enjoy being involved in sports or clubs for fun, but some like being involved to prepare them for their future and careers. Criminal law, justice, and economics teacher Leigh Frazier is the advisor and creator of the Athens Drive Mock Trial Club, where students handle actual law cases and experience what it is like to be in law. 

Frazier said she became interested from watching Perry Mason with her parents when she was younger. Perry Mason is a TV show about a criminal defense lawyer who usually helps people wrongly accused of murder.

“I have always been interested in the law. When I was a child, my parents would discuss their participation in the Civil Rights movement. We would discuss the impact of different laws when watching the news stories or Perry Mason. The law ensures accountability, protection, and access to justice for everyone,” said Frazier. 

The club holds weekly meetings and had their interest meeting on Tuesday, October.  The team can have a maximum of nine members and a minimum of seven members. Many students came to the interest meeting which will make this a competitive season for spots on the team. This year’s case has to do with the death of a child at a park, which will make this a challenging season. 

“So competitions are a full day, if you are on the mock trial team, you are both prosecuting and defending. You will either have your first or your second block being a witness and your other block being in prosecuting,” said Addy Mulvey-Rose, a sophomore on the team. “It’s really a fun experience. The whole day through you’re basically in the courtroom learning what it would be like to be a lawyer. You’re seeing the judges, you’re hearing what they have to say, you’re going head to head with another team deciding what to say to make your argument best.“

Mock Trial Club is a tough and involved club that is a great learning and inspiring experience. Frazier looks forward to teaching and seeing students experience what it is like to be in law. 

 

“Mock Trial is educational with hands-on learning about the legal system, and it’s also entertaining with the drama of a trial,” said Frazier.