Aragon Mock Trial off to a solid start

The Mock Trial team had its first competition on Jan. 30 at the San Mateo County Hall of Justice.

Aragon’s team scored 201.79 points, coming in third place behind Carlmont High School, which came in first place, and Menlo School, which came in second. The team is currently in a statistical tie with Hillsdale High School.

Mock Trial advisor Carlo Corti says, “Our defense team did great against San Mateo. We got the most points possible. Our prosecution had a harder time against Crystal Springs, but we ended the night in a tie for third place.” Corti continues, “We were very well prepared for the more scripted parts of the competition.”

In Mock Trial, there are two teams: the prosecution and the defense. Aragon’s prosecution team competes against a defense team from another school, while the defense team competes against another school’s prosecution team. Certified attorneys give the teams a number score based on how well the student witnesses and attorneys perform and present their cases.

The trial this year involves a high school student who allegedly sold Adderall to a classmate. That classmate later died from cardiac arrest. He is charged with second degree murder and possession for sale of a controlled substance. In both of Aragon’s trials, the defendant was found not guilty on second degree murder and guilty of possession. The score, which determines advancement into the semifinals, is independent of the verdict.
The next two trials for Aragon will take place on Feb. 6 and Feb. 13. On Feb. 6, the prosecution team will face Hillsdale and the defense team will face Carlmont.

To better prepare for the upcoming week’s competitions, Corti says, “We just need to work on our poise under pressure.”
Sophomore Olivia Tandowsky says, “I think our team could improve on acting a bit more and slowing down when we speak. We have all of the things we have to know and say down, but really conveying the same message clearly is what we should work on.”

Regarding next week, Tandowsky says, “I think we will be doing better, but every team gets better each week. We hope to improve our ranking or stay the same.”

Corti says, “Competition gets better and stronger every year. Teams change a great deal depending on new coaches and new students. Hillsdale and Menlo are always powerhouses, and we have not competed against them yet.”

During the months of preparation, students meet during lunch, after school, and every Sunday. Corti says, “We run through elements of the law in the case. We practice asking the right questions, presenting the correct information, gathering and presenting evidence in a court case. Also, the ways to question what is objectionable and what is allowed in court and what questions aren’t allowed in court.”

The team has been working hard and learning the case, working on their individual roles since November.

Senior and Mock Trial president Joey Constantino says, “Last year, we had a lot of seniors. We had a good amount of kids that were in Mock Trial all four years, but this year we have a lot of new people, so it is almost like we are starting over.”

In reference to the team, senior Matt Lanthier says, “Mr. Corti is really great. He’s really good at coordinating the team and preparing us for our cases. We all feel really good at our practices and feel prepared for the competition.”