Mock Trial team wins fourth straight state title

Photo courtesy of Gregg Brelsford

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Judge Memorial Catholic High School Mock Trial State Champions win their fourth straight State Title, and go on to compete in Wilmington, Del., in the National Mock Trial Competition May 7 to May 11. 

SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School won their fourth straight State Championship Mock Trail title in April. They won with only one team made up of all juniors and one sophomore. The team went on to compete in National Mock Trial Competition in Wilmington, Del., May 7 to May 11.

Junior mock trial co-captains Jimin Brelsford and Tom Luchs explained that their mock trials are simulated trials with high school students acting as attorneys and witnesses and are run by the Utah State Bar Association. An attorney within the Utah State Bar Association acts as the judge. A case is taken, the facts are somewhat rewritten to make it fair for high school students to try the case, and the trial procedure is re-enacted by the high school students. By altering the circumstances, it is less complicated and more arguable for both the prosecution and the defense. The trial is held in the Scott Matheson District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.

Brelsford has been on the team for three years and Luchs has been on the team for two years.

"We received the case from the Utah Bar Association, and read through it," said Brelsford. "They give us the various statutes and legal points with which the case deals. We have two parents who are attorneys who help out with the case, which is a huge asset. They educated us about the finer points of law and how to be articulate in the courtroom. The attorneys are Gregg Brelsford, an intellectual property attorney, and Sharon Donovan, a family law attorney. Our head coaches were Nicole Salazar and Brent Hall, along with Art Holder."

"Then we had to come up with the theory of the case," said Luchs. "That was basically our main focus. We had a criminal case this time. The case was based around the murder of Ronny Riley. Some college kids had a party in a cabin, in which methamphetamine was mades. There was an explosion and Riley died in the explosion. We were working with some circumstantial evidence that could not prove the defendant was at the scene."

"We have about five trials for the season, and in each one we may argue either the prosecution or the defense case, so we have to be prepared for both sides," said Brelsford. "I think it is random as to which side we argue."

In the state tournament, Judge Memorial argued for the defendants and competed against Grantsville High School. They also competed against Tooele High School, Provo High School, South Summit High School, and Lehi High School.

"You do not win based on the merits of the case, you win based on points, or how well you present your side," said Luchs. "So a conviction does not necessarily mean a victory. Even if you win, you might not go on. Somebody could lose the case, yet get more points and win."

"The points are arbitrary depending on the judges," said Brelsford. "This year we received a low score from one of the judges and were in second or third place in one of the rounds and ended up winning."

The advice they received from Donovan and the Gregg Brelsford was when you are arguing a point of law in court, you do not want to use the terms "I feel," or "I think" because the court does not care about your personal feelings on a point of law. It is whether or not that is the way the law is or not.

Jimin Brelsford said he had a lot of fun competing in the mock trials and is thinking about becoming an attorney. He enjoys working in a courtroom, so if he were to become an attorney it would be as a criminal defense attorney or as a prosecutor.

Luchs said he, too, is thinking about becoming an attorney. He has learned a lot, and says he enjoys arguing for the defense.

They both said they enjoy being in the courtroom, and said this experience really helped them understand cases, how the trial procedure works, and how cases are argued in Utah courtrooms.

"Utah teams always have a disadvantage at the national tournament because of the way our state competition is scheduled," said Brelsford. "We have less time to prepare. They put out the case for the national competition April 1, and the Utah championships go into April. But that is the way it always is, and we do the best we can."