By Melanie Deeds
Legal News
The Macomb County circuit court building will serve as the backdrop Saturday for the Regional Michigan High School Mock Trial Tournament, an event involving hundreds of students, teachers, attorneys and judges.
The Macomb County Bar Foundation is hosting the event — in which 12 teams from area high schools are scheduled to participate — in collaboration with Macomb County Circuit Court and the Michigan Center for Civic Education.
“After many, many years of trying to get this program off the ground, it is finally happening,” said Rick Troy, executive director of the Macomb County Bar Association.
Competing schools are Anchor Bay High School, Capac High School, Cousino High School in Warren, Grosse Pointe South High School, De La Salle Collegiate High School in Warren, Lake Shore High School, Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores, Lutheran High North High School in Macomb and Richmond High School.
The students, guided by their teachers and volunteer attorneys, have been preparing and practicing for the tournament for months, Troy said.
The effort to host the tournament was orchestrated by 37th District Court Judge Matthew Sabaugh, who for the past several years has been holding “Court in School” sessions at middle schools throughout Macomb County.
After the bar foundation threw its support behind the idea, Troy said Macomb County Circuit Court Chief Judge John Foster quickly jumped on board and Foster’s support “helped make the use of the circuit court a reality.”
Renee Tegel, Mt. Clemens attorney and family law mediator, is on the board of directors of the bar foundation and serving as tournament co-director.
Tegel said she’s thrilled to be a part of the effort and has been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and support exhibited by area judges and attorneys.
“So many people are really into it and have been putting a lot of energy and time into planning this,” she said. “There was no arm-twisting at all.”
Besides Sabaugh, members of the bench volunteering for the tournament are Circuit Court Judges Mary Chrzanowski and Kathryn Viviano as well as retired Judge Antonio Viviano.
A mock trial is aimed at reenacting much of what could occur in a trial court, according to Troy.
“Students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses and compete against each other in real courtrooms in front of real judges and lawyers,” he said.
There’s no script, Troy noted, and “participants must adjust to the strategies employed by the opposing side.”
The case being argued on Saturday was offered by the Michigan Center for Civil Education, which has been conducting such tournaments for more than 30 years. It’s part of the organization’s mission to bring law-related civic education to students through a challenging, stimulating and educational event.
The fictional case — The State of Superior vs. Sam Seaside — involves on the disappearance and alleged murder of a high-school student following the senior prom.
At the end of the day, two teams will win the honor of advancing to face teams from other parts of the state.
Tegel said students and attorneys alike will gain from their involvement in the process.
“We are all very much aware that it is important to contribute to the community if we can,” she said. “This is very exciting and really has caught on.”
Tegel said it’s gratifying to see the level of involvement and energy exhibited by the students.
“When we see a youngster who is enthusiastic and really into it, it’s very exciting,” she said.
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