When I found out I was going to miss two of my classes due to yearbook pictures, I was excited. I would rather have captured our Mock Trial Team on film, than endure another math class.

I was dismissed at 11:30 am. I had to drive to Downtown Lewiston before the wave of students arrived, so that I could claim the parking spots adjacent to the Court House. Worried about the ominous parking ticket, all I can remember was begging the universe, thinking “please do not take longer than an hour.”

Being one of the first from Lewiston to arrive, I was greeted with a pack of Waterville students scurrying to remember their lines. I was amazed with the extent they attempted to memorize them.

“Could you help me with my lines for a second,” asked Athena Andoniades- a Blue Devil student- nervously.

“Of course I will!” I said. The least I could was to try to calm her down. She knew them. I wondered why she even needed my help. Everyone who was preparing from our school knew their lines like the back of their hands. Their biggest “faults” were their looks

“How’s my hair?” Ann Danforth asks.

I suggested it would look better if she put her hair behind her ear. After that moment, both teams entered separate rooms.

“Seniors, it’s time to flip the coin.” Joan Macri, the Lewiston Coach, informs the team. They flipped the coin to determine which side will take the plaintiff side, and the other the defense side. In the back room, the juniors and sophomores of the team prepared for the trial, while the seniors witnessed the outcome. They came back and, we had the plaintiff side first. Lewiston took its place on the right side of the court room, and Waterville received the left side.

Personally, the court room was intimidating. Asking around the team, I found out some answers about Mock Trial and how it works. It is a competition between schools, and they simulate a court case. Both teams are given the information for the case beforehand: a description of the case, the witnesses and their history, their affidavits, and the exhibits. They then can choose to what to present as evidence. The case given to both teams do not imply if the plaintiff or defense will win. The team is judged by their performance. The objective of the team is to first represent the case as the plaintiff, and then present the case as the defense. Whoever performs the best overall, wins the trial.

This seemed just like an actual court case. Objections are sustained or overruled, rebuttals are asked for, and even the permission to go to the witnessed must be asked. I felt like I was watching Law & Order.

I can not even begin to explain how difficult and intense the task of memorizing a case is. The need to pay attention is crucial. One has to notice things the other team does not bring up from the case description. A lawyer does not know what will be thrown at them, plus there is the added intimidation of asking and answering questions in front of an actual judge! If one person makes a mistake, it could change the team from being on top of their game to the team grasping for air, attempting not to drown in a sewer infested pond.

Oh, and did I mention that the way to get to the finals is by single elimination? This means no waiting for the ‘big’ game, saving your energy for the best opponent, no -I’ll-just-miss-this-game-because-we-will-already be-in-the-playoffs excuse. Every trial can be your last trial. Putting your game face on is vital.

As a Lewiston High School Student, I was (I do not say this word much, but here goes) proud. Our team did an astonishing job. Cassandra Jensen’s opening statement for the defense was amazing- an exorbitant portrayal of the Speech Team at its finest. Ashley McWorther, Luke Jensen, Husayn Carnegie, and Matthew Shaw as witnesses were astonishingly believable. I was astounded by the seriousness of the witnesses and how they all went into character. Personally, I would trust Calder Phillips-Grafflin, Michael Butler, or Ernest Brown to be my lawyer if I needed representation in court. The closing statements by Tobias Farnsworth, and Danielle Taylor were perceived as ardent convictions to show the team’s side on the case. Over half of the students in our team had more than one part. It reminded me of a play; a play where everyone was the leading man or woman.

Overall, Lewiston won. Sportsmanship was shown by clapping of hands at the end. I was so enthusiastic and excited about the whole trial. It was electrifying. I would actually love to play the audience one more time. I felt the same thrill I would find watching a soccer or basketball game.

As I exited out the Court House with one of the mock lawyers from the Lewiston team, Ashley Morgan, I said my goodbyes and went to my car. As I feared before the Mock Trial started, the menacing parking ticket was affixed to my windshield. I took it down and unraveled it. With # 40 circled, the ticket it said:

Exceeding Time Limit $15

“$15”, I thought to myself, “well worth it.”