Local students to participate in Mock Trial Court | News

On Feb. 10, students from Region 13 including East Coweta, Bremen, Whitewater, Sandy Creek and Alexander high schools will present their cases at the Coweta County Justice Center, said Will Davis, who has been volunteering for the Georgia Mock Trial program for 11 years. The cases alternate between civil and criminal cases each year – this year it’s criminal, he said.

Sponsored by the Georgia Bar Association, the program was created to promote trial skills among high schoolers and educate the students about the legal system, Davis said.

“Students from across the state get the problem,” he said. “They have to put together a case.”

Teams can be up to 10 students, but must have at least six students. Three students serve as witnesses and three as attorneys. They also have an attorney coach and a school coach.

Some schools send more than one team. Bremen is the only high school in Region 13 that will have more than one team, Davis added.

The students argue their cases in front of local attorneys serving as judges. The schools are named with a letter code and not by school so the attorneys don’t know which schools they are judging.

There are three rounds; the students compete against a different team each round. Each round takes about 2 1/2 to three hours, Davis said.

The top two teams from each of Georgia’s 17 regions advance to one of nine district competitions. Then the top two teams…