Students who participate in Mock Trial are responsible for mastering a manual of rules and procedures and over 40 pages of witness statements, exhibits, and legal standards before they compete against teams from across southern Wisconsin. They assume roles as either lawyers presenting the case and making arguments (and objections) or as witnesses who must make a convincing presentation of their facts. The witnesses are then cross-examined by student attorneys from other teams. Judges and practicing attorneys score students’ performances.
Local attorneys coach the team with the assistance of teacher coach Ken Paul. The group meets for 1-1 ½ hours once a week from November through February. Usually there are one or two scrimmages against other schools as practice and the season culminates with the regional competition held at the Dodge County Courthouse the second Saturday in February. Teams that qualify at regionals move on to the state competition in March.
The 2019 MHS Mock Trial team competed in regionals on February 9th and placed second overall, earning one of the two available spots at state in Madison on March 8th, 9th and 10th. The team competed well, and MHS senior Samantha Falstad earned one of the Top Five Attorney awards!
PHOTO: Back row, from left: Chase McKinnon, Matt Schneider. Front row, from left: Grace Prust, Lexi Janzer, Olivia Boelk, Samantha Falstad, Theresa Ersbo, Autumn Kuehn, Catherine Miller, Kayla Bonneau, Katie Link and teacher coach Ken Paul. | 
