Oak Park High School’s Mock Trial team has been working since the beginning of the year to prepare for the upcoming competition on Feb. 22 and 23. The eighth-period class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 to 5:15 to build their case and run rounds.

“It is such a fun environment and really teaches you a lot about law and how a courthouse really works,” freshman Anwita Anil wrote to the Talon.

Mock Trial mirrors the inner workings of a real courtroom and allows those who are passionate about law to become more familiar with the system.

“I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer since I was little, I watched Legally Blonde when I was four,” sophomore Lila Marshall said. “I think it is a really good way for me to practice the things that I’m going to need to do in my career and make friends with people who have the same interests and goals for their future as me.”

Based on feedback from their captains, Anvitha Voruganti and Marcello Hamidi, and their advisor, Victor Anderson, they reworked their speeches to formulate the best possible case. This process requires a big commitment from team members as they memorize the material and discover how each player flows with one another.

“For me, I would say the most challenging part of mock trial is being able to think on the spot during cross [examination] so we can turn the case in our favor,” junior Zara Farooqui said.

The team participated in a scrimmage on Feb. 2 against Dos Pueblos High School at Santa Barbara County Courthouse. 

“Scrimmages are so good because they make you realize what you need to work on,” Marshall said. “In some aspects, we did really well but in most aspects, it really showed our weaknesses as a team … so now we have plenty of time before competition to work it all out.”

This gives the students an opportunity to apply what they have learned and polish their cases before the big day so that they can lead the team to the finals on March 1 and 2.

To learn more about the team and stay updated, check out their website.