Fort Mill Middle students taking over Greenville County Courthouse for Mock Trial tournament

Students from Fort Mill Middle School are headed to Greenville Oct. 24 to participate in the annual S.C. Mock Trial competition.

Thirty-nine schools are competing in four regional competitions in Charleston, Conway, Greenville and Lexington. Due to recent flooding, a state final mock trial will not held. Instead, winning teams will be selected from each of the four regionals.

The students will present the prosecution and defense sides of a fictitious criminal case before a panel of volunteer lawyers and judges. Additionally, students will fill the roles of attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs and timekeepers. Each team will be judged on its presentation skills, rather than the legal merits of the case.

This year’s fictitious case is Skyler Reed v. 104.4 WSCB Inc. and Cameron Jackson. In the case, radio station 104.4 WSCB hosted the 2015 Music in the Sand Festival. During the event, DJ Cameron Jackson, “DJ CJ,” flew a drone over the crowd to record the festivities. During the opening performance, DJ CJ received several emergency phone calls and was forced to step away from piloting the drone. At the same time concert-goer Skyler Reed fell from a trash can and suffered injuries. Skyler alleges the fall was the result of the drone, but evidence suggests the fall may be due to other causes.

The Mock Trial Program is sponsored by the SC Bar’s Law Related Education Division, which was developed in 1976 to improve the ability of teachers to instruct law related education. The program is supported by the Bar’s LRE Committee and made possible through a SC Bar Foundation IOLTA grant and the SC Bar.

Fort Mill Middle’s School Mock Trial Team has been preparing for weeks ahead of the regional competition, which will be held in the Greenville County Courthouse.

“Our students have put in many hours learning about the judicial system and preparing their cases,” said Lisa Pait, sixth grade social studies teacher. “We have even scheduled practices in local courthouses. This experience is challenging, but the rewards for participants are far greater. Students improve skills in teamwork, public speaking, and analytical thinking just to name a few.”

This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Fort Mill Middle students taking over Greenville County Courthouse for Mock Trial tournament."