The judge's point of view.

• Author: Henderson, Doug
• Position: Law-related education - Florida

As a judge, nothing is more rewarding than the annual State High School Mock Trial Competition. The competition is keen, fun, and challenging for students, local attorneys, and judges alike. Manatee County has been involved in the competition for several years, with all seven public and private high schools participating. The annual event draws many spectators and local media coverage. The students are well-prepared in their roles as attorneys and witnesses, and are eager to impress the scoring judges who are usually local attorneys and court personnel who equally enjoy the competition.

The courtrooms are tense when the bailiff announces "All rise. Court is now in session!" The case is announced; students introduce their team members; and opening statements are presented. Local attorneys and teachers, who put in many hours of hard work with the students as coaches, are not permitted to assist the students in any way during the competition and can only anxiously watch their students perform.

The particular case during the competition often presents complex questions of law for a presiding judge to rule upon. In fact, presiding judges may differ in their rulings on certain issues, which the students are more than adequately prepared to deal with in their different rounds. The case is presented on a fairly strict timetable, and the excitement and drama really build when the students make their closing arguments.

When a round is over and the scoring is complete, a brief constructive criticism session from the scoring judges takes place, which the students really appreciate. From there, they only have a few minutes to gather their thoughts, make any adjustments to their strategy and arguments, and go to the next round. After all the rounds are completed, I have the unenviable job of announcing the winning team and rankings of the schools based on the scores from the scoring judges. I always tell the students that they are all winners and should be proud of their accomplishments. The winning team is thrilled in representing their school and receiving a trophy. They are also instantly excited about their upcoming trip to the state finals in Tallahassee.

After the competition, the students finally relax and enjoy pizza and refreshments, and mingle with each other. The students experience the same gratification that an attorney does after preparing and presenting a hard-fought case. The Manatee County Bar Association is very...