by Aeron Hall
Humor Editor   
    The Mock Trial team at LGHS is in full gear, preparing for their culminating competition coming up in about one month. The team’s first scrimmage, on Thursday, Jan. 14, against Sobrato High School helped the LGHS members to refocus on the upcoming competition after the weeks off from holiday break. “Scrimmages are really helpful because they allow us to realize what the trial will really be like in the courtroom,” commented junior Sally Park.

    In addition, the team also attended a tournament on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Twenty schools from all over California attended this one-day event which lasted from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Throughout the day, each school competed against two other schools, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 

    The LGHS prosecution team went up against Carmel High School’s defense team in the morning and, after a quick lunch, the LGHS defense team scrimmaged San Luis Obispo High School’s prosecution team in the afternoon. Attorneys, former attorneys, and coaches were asked to take the position of the judge, which required them to ask the pretrial attorneys questions and either overrule or sustain any objections made during the trial. The judges were asked not to deliver a verdict in the final trial, however; they were permitted to give out notes and improvements for each person on the team. “The notes the judge gave me will really help my performance in court,” stated senior Ariel Lacey. “The tournament allowed me to get the feel of what it would be actually like in the real competition at the courtroom.”

    The team also practiced against Pioneer High School on Wednesday Jan 20 in order to perfect the delivery of their performance. Team captain Cutter Coryell remarked, “The team knows the material very well, but we still need to work on our delivery and learn the ins and outs of courtroom conduct.”

    As the competition becomes closer, the team has developed a more intense schedule, meeting two to three days in the week as a team instead of a single Monday night meeting. The attorneys are also encouraged to meet with their witnesses as often as possible outside of the team meetings so that they can polish every last detail of their direct examinations. The LGHS mock trial team will continue to rehearse every detail of their trial, and with all the effort and practicing being put in, they are certainly guaranteed to have success in their competition.