04/17/2025

Local students argue AI, First Amendment during Law Day

By Christopher Dacanay/The Herald-Star

ATTORNEY — Steubenville High School junior Isabella Fletcher acted as an attorney during one of the Jefferson County Bar Association’s 2025 Law Day mock trial sessions. -- Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — Local high school students argued over First Amendment protection in the age of artificial intelligence during an event that granted them firsthand courtroom experience Tuesday.

The Jefferson County Bar Association’s 2025 Law Day invited mock trial program participants from Steubenville High School and Edison High School to Jefferson County Juvenile Court, where they competed in two mock trial sessions presided over by a panel of judges. Students acted as attorneys and portrayed witnesses for both sides of a fictitious case.

David Scarpone, Law Day committee chairman and Dillonvale county court judge, praised the students’ performance as “one of the better” showings in the annual Law Day’s history.

“One of the reasons why we do this mock trial is that this is where people end up in terms of disputing,” Scarpone said of the event. “You may be a party someday, you may be a witness someday, you may be on a jury someday. This is why it’s so important that we experience this type of setting.”

SHS has been an anchor for the annual event along with Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, which could not attend due to conflicts, Scarpone said. He’d like to see Edison continue its involvement and other schools participate as well, preparing their students for potential careers in law.

WITNESS — Edison High School senior Jordan Hughes acted as a witness during one of the Jefferson County Bar Association’s 2025 Law Day mock trial sessions. -- Christopher Dacanay

Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Jane Hanlin, who serves with Scarpone as an attorney adviser to the SHS mock trial team, also commended the students.

“I’m so proud of them. Both of these schools did a really nice job. You can tell that they participated in the state competition just because of how professional they were. They worked really hard on this case, and I think it really showed today.”

Attorney Aaron Richardson is the attorney adviser for Edison’s team.

Created by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education, this year’s mock trial case centers around a political candidate, who claims a student’s AI-generated video damaged their campaign and is seeking a preliminary injunction for the video’s removal. The case challenged students to consider where the line should be drawn between free speech and defamation.

Cherie Metcalf, SHS English teacher and mock trial coach, was pleased with her students, who had one refresher practice between Tuesday’s event and the mock trial season earlier this year.

In the district competition, SHS won both sides of the case and all awards. The regional competition proved to be tougher, with SHS winning one side of the case and some awards.

Metcalf added that AI’s effect on First Amendment rights is an important topic to ponder, and she’s glad students have been exposed to these kinds of questions in a courtroom setting.

The SHS team consists of Gianna Barker, Brody Becker, Addie Johnson, Cole Bowers, Hannah Martin, Katie Riley, Aubrey Duggan, Brody Saccoccia, Isabella Fletcher, Kinsey Tucker, Clara Hoffman and Noah West.

A junior, Isabella Fletcher joined the mock trial team this academic year and wishes she’d done it sooner. She dove headfirst into the program, acting as one of the team’s attorneys.

“I’m very interested in law, and this has shown me the technicalities of it all,” she said of the program. “Even if I don’t go into law, this has really impacted me personally because I really get to see how people take different perspectives on things.”

David Schultz teaches American government, financial literacy and trial law at Edison — in addition to directing the Drama Club. He recalled Edison’s mock trial hiatus that began in 2018 and ended this year, when the school was able to offer its trial law course that incorporates mock trial.

Starting with 15 students and two teams, the program competed in Canton this year, nabbing four of eight individual awards: Three “Best Witness” awards and one “Best Lawyer” award.

“It gives students the opportunity to learn those soft skills to deliver and actually prepare for legal court cases,” Schultz said of the program.

As a government teacher, Schultz said he appreciates this year’s case dealing with AI and exploring the true meaning of free speech.

The Edison team consists of Jamie Barker, Zachary Kuntz, Kathryn Clancey, Kyle Martin, Ronaleigh Crawford, Avah Reed, Rilee Givens, Madison Somerville, Justin Goddard Jr., Mazzy Speedy, Benjamin Griffith, Kaylee Spencer, Myah Howell, Kaylee Summers and Jordan Hughes.

A senior, Jordan Hughes said the trial law course is “super fun” and she hopes it continues for years to come.

“This has definitely benefited my public speaking. I think this will definitely benefit me in the future,” said Hughes, who will major in psychology and minor in criminology at the University of Akron next academic year.

Serving as judges for one of the two sessions were Common Pleas Judge Michelle Miller, attorney Francesa Carinci, retired probate and juvenile court Judge Joseph Corabi, Steubenville Municipal Court Judge John Mascio, Wintersville county court Judge Michael Bednar and Magistrate Maresa Taylor.

The judges congratulated students on a job well done after each session and provided them with pointers from their own experience in the courtroom.

The bar association presented its annual Community Legal Service Award to probation officer Sean Tucker between trial sessions.

After the sessions, students were brought on a tour of the justice center and jail, provided by the sheriff’s department.