QV Mock Trial Goes to Court

By: Hannah Olawaiye

The Quaker Valley Mock Trial season is fully underway. On Jan. 10 and Jan. 11, the Mock Trial team participated in the annual mock trial practice competition at the University of Pittsburgh.  The competition is essentially a practice run for the actual competition. It does not affect how the actual competition works, meaning that wins and losses do not necessarily matter.

Each team goes twice, once on Saturday and once on Sunday. The competition normally runs for about eight hours. There is a trial in the morning, a lunch break, and then a trial in the afternoon.

On the first day, the defense team won their trial and the plaintiff team tied. For that day, the lawyers for the defense team were Rachel Abbott, Zora Washington and Annalise Happe. The witnesses were Dylan Davenport, Adele Hydzik and Ainsley Anderson. Taking the other side, the lawyers for the plaintiff team were Hannah Olawaiye, Tiya Singh and Lauren Happe with witness performances by Kian Hopkins, Charlotte Liao and Ana Luiza Bacchi.

The second day brought a one-point loss to the defense team, and the plaintiff also lost. That day, the defense team’s lawyers were still the same. However, the witnesses were performed by Evelyn Bertiaux, Michael Karafa and Abby Yates. The plaintiff team's lawyers were also still the same. The witnesses for the plaintiff team were Tadhg Hamill, Nicholas Winnowski and Julianna Vescio.

For the QVHS Mock Trial team, two members perform each witness. The Pitt mock trial competition is used to decide who performs each witness. That is why different people performed each witness on the second day of the competition. Whoever is chosen as a lawyer at the beginning of the season for the official case performs in the actual competition no matter what, meaning lawyers do not go against someone else for their position.

After the Pitt competition, the Mock Trial team moved on to the actual competition.

On Jan. 29, the defense team went against Shadyside Academy. During the trial, three jury

members were present. The QV defense team was able to win all three jury ballots. The victory was led by defense lawyers Rachel Abbott, Annalise Happe and Zora Washington with witnesses Ainsley Anderson, Evelyn Bertiaux and Adele Hydzik.

During the competition, at the end of the trial, each team is tasked with awarding members of the other team with best advocate and best witness. For the defense team, Ainsley Anderson was awarded best witness, and Zora Washington was awarded best advocate.

The next Mock Trial event took place on Feb. 3, when the plaintiff team scored a victory against North Hills. Out of the three jury ballots, the plaintiff team won two of them. However, multiple plaintiff team members were able to receive a perfect score of 10 for the different roles that they performed. The plaintiff team victory was led by lawyers Hannah Olawaiye, Tiya Singh, and Lauren Happe. The witnesses were performed by Kian Hopkins, Charlotte Liao and Ana Luiza Bacchi. Charlotte Liao was awarded with best witness, and Tiya Singh was awarded with best advocate.

For both of the teams, the timekeeper was Esme Matela. She was in charge of timing all parts of the case, including the openings and direct examinations.

Led by co-sponsors Mr. Duchin and Mr. Marko, the QV Mock Trial team looks to continue a successful season.

Evelyn Bertiaux, Adele Hydzik, Rachel Abbott, Zora Washington, Ainsley Anderson, and Annelise Happe (listed left to right).

Ainsley Anderson, and Zora Washington (listed left to right).

Lauren Happe, Hannah Olawaiye, Tiya Singh, Esmé Matela, Ana Luiza, Charlotte Liao, and Kian Hopkins (listed left to right, top row and then bottom row)

Tiya Sigh, and Charlotte Liao (listed left to right).

Photos credited to Mr. Duchin and Mr. Marko.