Regional mock trial competition invites high schoolers into courtroom

The case was intriguing: Embezzlement from a local school district to pay off debts incurred by a family's salvage yard. Ash Espinosa already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, with the prosecution looking to recover the district's $80,000 loss through seizure of Espinosa's restored 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. But the defense argued the vehicle's valuation — not to mention its sentimental value as a project between Espinosa and his son — would violate his Eighth Amendment right against excessive fines. Espinosa took the stand in Elyria Municipal Court in his own defense, alleging his cousin and co-owner in the family salvage yard pushed him to steal from his job as school treasurer. But the attorneys arguing for either side had yet to pass the bar exam — in fact, they had yet to get their high school diplomas. Espinosa, the cache of witnesses for the prosecution and defense, as well as the attorneys themselves were all area high schoolers participating in the 41st annual Ohio High School Mock Trial regional competition, held at Elyria Municipal Court on Friday. In the first round of the afternoon, Keystone High School argued for the prosecution, while Buckeye Senior High School played the defense. Retired Avon Lake Municipal Judge Darrel Bilancini oversaw the case. At 70, Bilancini admitted he wasn't sure a mock trial was something he would have been involved in as a student given the difficulty of it, but he assured the teens in his courtroom Friday that they were going to be "so much better off as citizens (and) students" for their time spent on the project. Keystone's prosecuting attorneys senior Addisyn Rodachy, 17, and junior Trever Blackburn, 17, said the team spent months preparing for the case. While the same case is given to all students participating in mock trial, attorneys and witnesses alike still have to think on their feet and be prepared, Rodachy said. Teams have to choose which witnesses to call to the stand and argue case law in the trial. Rodachy plans to attend law school. Blackburn did not see a law career in his future but still appreciated the communication skills gained from the experience. Staff adviser Ashley Hartman, a high school social studies teacher at Keystone, said this is the school's second year for mock trial, with most of its team at regionals made up of juniors and seniors. While public speaking and communication were a key skill highlighted in the program, she hoped her students saw the importance of advocacy in the experience. "Whether they're actually going into litigation or a law-related career, just to advocate and know what their rights are and be able to argue those rights if they are even in a position where they need to do that — to advocate for themselves," she said. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.