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Court News Ohio
Farm Animals Take the
Stand at Mock Trial
By Stephanie Beougher
April 17, 2015
It was an unusual sight to see costumed animal characters in the
courtroom. More than 300 middle school students, some dressed as pigs
and other farm animals, descended on the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial
Center for the three-day Ohio Center for Law-Related Education Middle
School Mock Trial State Showcase.
Teams from 24 middle schools across Ohio participated in the mock trial
based on the classic novel “Animal Farm.”
This year’s case was a civil class action lawsuit brought by Benjamin
on behalf of the non-pig animals that live on the farm that their civil
rights were violated.
Logan Fryman, a seventh grader at Woodward Park Middle School in
Columbus, was in character for the trial. He credits his classmates and
his teacher for being rewarded by the judges as best witness.
“We worked hard, and I owe it all to Mr. Berkal for pushing us and
giving us high standards,” Fryman said after the trial.
Hard work paid off for teammate, Cyann Lattimore, who took home the
outstanding attorney award.
“You had to learn about objections, when to object and how to object.
And how to approach witnesses and judges. How to come up with closing
and opening arguments and how they had to connect. Yeah, there was a
lot of work,” Lattimore said.
Each team participated in two trials to argue both plaintiff and
defense positions against opposing teams.
Attorneys and judges served as showcase judges, giving students points
for professional demeanor, oratory skills and an understanding of trial
technique and courtroom procedure.
See the video at Court News Ohio
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