Warren Middle School Students Participate In A Mock Trial
By: Mary Ann McGann, Warren Township Schools
Warren Middle School students received a real life lesson on the judicial system as they took part in a mock trial on Dec. 21 at the Warren Township Municipal Court, presided over by the Honorable Mark Adler.
Thirty-four 7th and 8th graders – who participate in the Enrichment Education (E2) program at the middle school – presented two civil cases before Judge Adler, who shared expert advice on courtroom procedures and the legal process.
Some of the students acted as prosecutors and defense attorneys in the courtroom, while others served as trial jurors or took the stand as witnesses in the two cases written by the E2 group. The first case focused on racial discrimination and was followed by arguments surrounding the issue of faulty vehicle seatbelts and the resulting death of a child.
“Our students receive a developmentally appropriate introduction to law through the mock trial process that culminates at the Warren courthouse with a real life court experience under the guidance of Judge Adler,” says E2 teacher Dr. Susan Cooper.
This early exposure to the justice system also helps the group as they create an original mock trial case this month to enter into the Law Adventure, a free educational mock trial competition held each May by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation (NJSBF). Warren Middle School E2 students have been among the contest’s winners 6 times in previous years.
