May it Please the Court
Between opening statements, objections, and cross examinations the Mock Trial Team takes the stand, preparing students to be future lawyers
This past week the Cardinal Gibbons Mock Trial Team participated in the annual Florida High School Mock Trial Regional Qualifier. Teams from across Broward County competed for a chance to qualify for states. This year the team was faced with a criminal case that focused on an art heist and a conspiracy to commit forgery. Students within the club prepare both sides of the case representing both the prosecution and the defense. Competitors have the choice of either playing a witness or representing the State of Florida as an attorney.
This year Cardinal Gibbons was represented by the following students: Elena Ramos-Alvarez* (Attorney), Max Fuchs (Attorney/Witness), Lucas Himawan (Attorney),
Jessica Wilson* (Attorney), Sonoma Ghosh (Attorney/Witness), Brianna Brochu* (Witness), Leslie Umana (Witness), Maria Villarreal-Rojas (Attorney/Witness), Isabella Mergler (Witness). Some notable moments from the competition include Elena’s opening statement for the defense and Brianna’s amazing performance of the art curator, Leigh Rose. Despite this being her first year on the team, Sonoma Ghosh excelled in both her attorney and witness role giving a phenomenal performance The team also welcomed back Jessica Wilson to the Mock Trial Team after a one year hiatus.
Students were joined by club moderator/teacher Luiz Bravim and Florida attorney Sarahnell Murphy. Both of them agree this was a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to the legal profession and a great way to develop important life lessons. Inbetween rounds the team had a chance to grow closer together through pizza and movies. Overall, Cardinal Gibbons placed 6th in the entire competition out of 14 teams. Everyone involved is extremely proud of this accomplishment and plan to place 1st next year.
This year we have three seniors who will be graduating and moving on from the team. The district tournament is the last competition on the season and for some it’s the last mock trial they will participate in. We’d like to dedicate this article to the hard work and time the seniors have put into the team. The team is now looking towards the new generation of the club and inviting any interested members to audition in April for the 2025-2026 season. Anyone interested should contact Mr. Bravim (bravim@cghsfl.org) for more information and details about the audition.
