Complete Story
 

03/05/2019

Students’ Legal Battle to End at the Ohio Statehouse

News Release                                                             Contact: Kate Strickland
For Immediate Release:                                                           OCLRE Executive Director

kstrickland@oclre.org; 614-485-3510

COLUMBUS (Mar. 5, 2019) - Beginning Thurs., March 7, 2019, approximately 300 high school students representing 23 schools from across Ohio will arrive in Columbus to vie for the title of state champion of the 36th Annual Ohio Mock Trial Competition.

The 2019 Ohio Mock Trial case focuses on Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures as it applies to technology. Fictional defendant Quinn Woolf is charged with aggravated theft and telecommunications fraud for allegedly using a private, alpha-numeric code to steal $120 million from the state pension fund. The catch is, the state used an aerial drone to obtain images of the defendant in the Woolf’s backyard. 

Mock trial teams from the following high schools advanced from district and regional competitions to compete at the state level: Archbishop Hoban High School (Summit County), Ashland High School (Ashland County), Bishop Watterson High School (Franklin County), Centerville High School (Montgomery County), Cleveland School of Science and Medicine John Hay (Cuyahoga County), Danville High School (Knox County), Fairbanks High School (Union County), Green High School (Summit County), Indian Hill High School (Hamilton County), Kenston High School (Geauga County), Lake Ridge Academy (Lorain County), Notre Dame Cathedral Latin High School (Geauga County), Olivia Davidson Washington Homeschool Club (Athens County), Orange High School (Cuyahoga County), Perrysburg High School (Wood County), Pickerington Central High School (Fairfield County), Portsmouth West High School (Scioto County), Springfield High School (Clark County), St. Xavier High School (Hamilton County), Sylvania Southview High School (Lucas County), Village Academy High School (Delaware County), West Jefferson High School (Madison County), and Westerville North High School (Delaware County).

Ohio Mock Trial is a program of the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) and is Ohio’s largest high school academic competition. More than 3,500 students participate each year, and approximately 1,000 legal professionals volunteer to serve as judges, competition coordinators and team advisors. Each year, OCLRE writes an original case based on a relevant constitutional issue. Students must prepare arguments for both prosecution and defense. Mock Trial is designed to educate students about the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Students also develop critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking and listening skills.

The three-day state competition will culminate with a final round, to be held at the Statehouse on Sat., March 9. The 2019 state champion will represent Ohio at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Athens, Georgia May 16-18.

The Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose goal is to improve society by developing citizens empowered with an understanding of our democratic system. The Supreme Court of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Ohio State Bar Association, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation sponsor OCLRE.  The Ohio Mock Trial program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Ohio State Bar Foundation. For more information about OCLRE, please call (877) 485-3510 or visit www.oclre.org.

 

Printer-Friendly Version