Search

The Winsor School wins MBA Mock Trial Championship

Thursday, Apr. 2, 2015
Article Picture
Photo Credit: Jeff Thiebauth
The Winsor School of Boston is the State Champion of the MBA's 2015 High School Mock Trial Program -- the school's third consecutive championship and fourth state title since 2010.

The Winsor School of Boston is the State Champion of the Massachusetts Bar Association's 2015 High School Mock Trial Program. This is Winsor's third consecutive championship and fourth state title since 2010.

Winsor and Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School (South Hadley) competed in a closely contested two-hour mock trial in Faneuil Hall's Great Hall on March 27. Winsor represented the prosecution while Pioneer Valley represented the defendant in a fictional case that centered on the question of self defense versus first-degree murder in a shooting death. Pioneer Valley won the case by getting a not-guilty verdict but Winsor prevailed in the overall scoring of the match.

Hon. Kathe M. Tuttman, Massachusetts Superior Court, presided over the mock trial and was assisted by Hon. Mark D Mason, Massachusetts Superior Court, and Hon. Howard J. Whitehead, Massachusetts Superior Court (ret).

"Each and every one of the participants were so well prepared and just did an outstanding job. You demonstrated a level of poise, self confidence, intelligence and skill that really is comparable to the attorneys who appear in front of me in my courtroom on a daily basis," said Judge Tuttman. "Any one of you could do that right now, and you're still in high school. That's pretty impressive."

Next up for Winsor is the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Raleigh, North Carolina, May 14-16. A portion of their trip will be funded by a $2,500 donation from the MBA's philanthropic partner, the Massachusetts Bar Foundation.

Started in 1985, the MBA's Mock Trial Program began its 30th year in January. The competition places high school teams from across the state in simulated courtroom situations where they assume the roles of lawyers, defendants and witnesses in hypothetical cases. More than 1,500 students at 135 high schools competed in this year's competition.

Click here to view photos.