The Cleveland
Mock Trial Competition gives Cleveland high school students a chance
to prepare their best legal arguments for an exciting day of competition with
their peers each year in the spring. Coached by volunteer attorneys and law
students, the teams take turns representing the prosecution and defense in a
criminal appeal involving topics that give them the opportunity both to hone
their legal skills and to learn more about important issues facing teens
today. In years past the topics have included charges of driving while
texting, misdemeanor child endangerment, and criminal stalking. This year's
case involves issues of school bullying and weapons in schools.
The
2013 Competition took place at the Justice Center on Friday, May 3 (Law
Day 2013). In addition to honoring the winning teams, each year the
Cleveland Municipal Court awards four paid internships to outstanding
attorneys, witnesses, and writers. The internships provide a unique
opportunity for exceptional students to gain experience and learn about our
legal system.
Congratulations 2013 Mock Trial Participants!
Congratulations to the more than 300 students, teachers, and volunteers who participated in the 2013 Cleveland Mock Trial Competition! The CMBA extends special thanks to the more than 35 volunteers who served as legal advisors and judicial panelists, as well as the Cleveland Municipal Court for all its help and support that make the competition possible. All participants are to be congratulated for a fine day of competition.
2013 Cleveland Mock Trial winners:
- First Place: John Hay Early College - Team Stokes
- Second Place: John Hay Early College - Team Tubbs Jones
- Third Place: Cleveland School of the Arts - Team D
Congratulations as well to students from John Hay, New Tech West, Martin Luther King, and New Tech at East Tech, who were awarded summer internships with the court as Outstanding Attorney for the Prosecution, Outstanding Attorney for the Defense, Outstanding Witness, and best entry in the essay competition respectively.
Click here for a Plain Dealer article on the Cleveland Mock Trial (published 5/1/13) and here for a Plain Dealer wrap-up after the event ("Tip Off" column published 5/6/13).
For more information or to volunteer for the 2014
Competition, please contact Jessica Paine by email
or by calling (216) 696-3525 x4462.
The Justice for All Committee of the CMBA
congratulates all participants of the 16th annual Cleveland Mock Trial
Competition held on April 27, 2012 at the Cleveland Municipal Court. The
CMBA partnered with the Municipal Court to host over 280 students,
representing 14 teams from 10 Cleveland high schools. Students also
participated by submitting essays for the annual writing competition, in
which students were invited to research and creatively present their point of
view on various issues related to the merits of the case, the Occupation
Movement, or the rise of Veterans Courts in the U.S. such as the newly-opened
Veterans Court in Cleveland.
2012 Winning teams:
- 1st
Place: Whitney Young
- 2nd Place: Cleveland School of the Arts, Team
1
- 3rd Place: Cleveland School of the Arts, Team 2
For a
video of the competition produced by Cleveland Metropolitan School District
students, click here.