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 was 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 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, N.C., May 14-16. A portion of the 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.