07 May 2021
On Wednesday, MRHS undertook their second round in the Law Society of NSW Mock Trial Competition against Sacred Heart Central School (Cootamundra). It was an edge of the seat legal drama that unfolded in front of the aspiring lawyers, with the students having to defend wave after wave of evidence and witness testimony against their client.
The crack legal team of Savera Tanuvasa (first barrister), Laiza Anaya (second barrister), Laura Weppler (solicitor) and Mia Macri were on hand to protect their defendant (played by Cheyenne Webb) against charges of fraud. They even called on the testimony of Claire McCloskey to try and prove their client’s innocence.
The case was that the defendent had defrauded the local swim club of $10 000 under the pretence of paying for treatment for her sick daughter. The defendant was accused of having misappropriated these funds for a trip to Bali.
The deck was stacked against Murrumbidgee, but despite a compelling argument from Sacred Heart, MRHS still managed to prove their client’s innocence. Unfortunately, however, we marginally lost the day 157 to 164.
Law Society of NSW Mock Trial Competition has been an institution at NSW schools since 1981. It aims to introduce students to the NSW judicial system and give students practical experience running a trial through this system. Points are awarded for winning the case, but they are also awarded on court etiquette and presentation of the argument.
The mock trial was conducted on zoom due to covid restrictions, however, for the third round, students hope to conduct the trial in a court in the presence of an official magistrate.
“I think the girls put a lot of thought in the defence. It’s very stressful to defend a case when you don’t know what the prosecution’s evidence will be. They had to think on their feet a lot.” explains team coordinator Elizabeth Ridgway, ”The fact that they put themselves out there is great. They are building important skills for life and I think it’s wonderful that they keep putting themselves out there.”
