Shorewood Students Play Lawyer and Juror

In most cases, imitating the law would get an individual arrested or detained, but as a group of students at Shorewood High School would likely tell you, this isn't most cases.

Members of the high school’s mock trial team are learning about the U.S. legal system — by replicating court trials complete with student-acted jurors and lawyers.

Even with the popularity of high school sports like basketball and football, it unique to see the team top out at 34 members last year. They're a “diverse and multi-talented group of kids,” attorney, team coach and high school social studies teacher Debra Schwinn said. Schwinn has a rich history in law.

They were also the “best looking team at state,” she added with a smile. The team made it all the way to the state mock trial competition, placing fifth place.

Montana Morris, student and member of the team, said mock trial is just as competitive as basketball or any other sport, though the struggle is mental, rather than physical.

"It's important stuff," Morris said.

And, it has become a positive reinforcer of mental debate in a setting that most students don't have access to on a day-to-day basis, Schwinn said.

The team gets the chance to work with real lawyers like team attorney coach Nathan Bayer, a Marquette law school graduate and Wisconsin Bar-certified lawyer, focusing mainly on civil defense cases. He advises them on those tough lawyer decisions.

Though the palette of cases the team takes are real, with names of the individuals involved changed to protect their identities, some laughingly described most of them as "boring."

However this year, the case they were practicing on their way to state competitions was a case including a dispute between two siblings over an elderly parent. One sibling claimed the other was draining the parent's bank account.

For member Jenny Tasse, being a part of the mock trial team has “turned her off” to going into a career in law, but instead has spurred her interest in politics.

Matthew Joynt, the high school’s principal, looks at mock trial as an extension of the education students receive in class. The community created because of the trial team prides itself in the debate and sense of intuition developed over the course of the season. To him, it's a great opportunity for students to challenge themselves intellectually in a competitive format.

He also added that he's incredibly proud of the team's success at the state competitions over the past four years.

Nick Pierson, a former member of the Shorewood mock trial team, current volunteer for the team, and a Yale graduate said it's a great chance for kids to “play lawyer” in a cohesive group, and also takes on a seriousness not present in most other clubs and activities.

He added his desire to volunteer is driven by the positive experience he had with the team as a student at Shorewood.

When asked for advice for students interested in the program, the team said, “be committed.”

Despite their placing at the state competitions, the students were proud of the progress and the accomplishments they made over the season.

“We want to make it to the final round next year,” Morris said.

The majority of the members are involved in other extra-curricular activity, ranging from volleyball to the Shorewood Ripples, but for them mock trial is a different experience, one they can’t find anywhere else.