Legal Lions sweep Mock Trial competition
Both NDCL Mock Trial teams swept their way to four separate trial victories in Friday's district competition at the Lake County Courthouse in Painesville.
This year's case focused on the timely issue of defamation of a public official by a news station. In the fictional scenario tried by the students, the governor of the State of Ohio lost a re-election bid after a news agency reported a false story that the governor had killed a former rival in a heated argument. After losing the election, the governor filed suit against the agency.
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GOLDEN MOMENT: Team Gold's Kayla Powell, Patrick Moorman, Emily Harris, and Sidney McInnerney celebrate with Lake County Common Pleas Judge Richard Collins, Jr., after winning their trial.
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STRONG DEFENSE: Chris Jerme, Randy Cumley, Briana Cowman, and Tom Fogarty's intense trial faces give way to broad smiles after Team Blue beat Mayfield High School.
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APPROACH THE BENCH: Lake County Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell congratulates Team Blue's Hannah Taylor, Antonia Mysyk, John Delahunty, and Carter Callender.
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NDCL's Team Blue, arguing for the defense, defeated Mayfield High School. Team members include seniors
Tom Fogarty, Chris Jerme, Randy Cumley, and junior
Briana Cowman. The judges named Tom the best attorney in the trial.
On the plaintiff's side, the Team Blue members senior
John Delahunty, juniors
Antonia Mysyk, and sophomores
Carter Callender and
Hannah Taylor beat a team from Mentor High School. Antonia was named best attorney, and Carter won the best witness award.
Team Gold's arguments for the defense won the day in a trial against Lake Catholic High School. Senior Patrick Moorman took the best attorney award, with sophomore Emily Harris earned the judges' nod for best witness. Other members of the successful Team Gold defense included sophomore Kayla Powell and Sidney McInnerney.
Team Gold also won the plaintiff's side, defeating Cornerstone Christian Academy. Junior
Madison Mitchell won the best attorney award. Her teammates included junior
Jessica Iacco and freshmen
Andrew Gadomski and
Emily Callahan.
Team members owe much of their success to the expert advice provided by their dedicated and generous volunteer legal advisors, including Mr. Matt Lallo '02, Mr. Shawn Maestle (father of senior Emma, junior Morgan, and freshman John), and Mr. Martin Delahunty (father of Jackie '16 and senior John). Mr. Jeff Black (father of alumni Jeff, Catherine, and Justin) and Mr. Dennis Fogarty (father of Connor '13, senior Tom, and freshman Dan) provided legal assistance as needed.
The Legal Lions' network of professional support also included
Ms. Michelle DeBaltzo '88 and Cuyahoga Common Pleas
Judge Deena Calabrese '89. Chardon Municipal Court
Judge Terri Stupica once again officiated over scrimmages in her courtroom in preparation for district competition.
Social studies teacher Mr. Alex Dowger and English teacher Ms. Victoria Frabotta '86 advise the team, which has already begun strategizing for the regional trials at Cuyahoga County's Old Courthouse in downtown Cleveland on February 10. Top teams from the regional competition advance to the state finals in March in Columbus.