Trial run: GHHS Mock Trial team prepare for competition with help from Judge Roper

Law, Justice and Ethics (LJE) Pathway students from Granite Hills High School are preparing for their Tulare County Mock Trial Competition at the Tulare County Courthouse in Visalia that is approaching soon.

Thursday afternoon the 32 students walked into the South County Justice Center Department 23, where Judge Glade F. Roper awaited them for a mock trial case.

As students sat down and assumed their roles in the courtroom Leisa Navarro, Social Science teacher and LJE coach at Granite Hills, made sure they were all in their assigned spots.

The mock trial case discussion was People v. Klein, and the class of four juniors and seniors assumed roles like prosecution’s Elise Ormonde and Adriana Perez as the defense.

Judge Roper listened and treated the high school students just like educated lawyers said Navarro.

“They got to go up against Judge Roper, who is very stern and treats them like educated adults. I think that they are doing a really good job,” said Navarro. “I think they did great today. This our first time doing this scrimmage for this case and we just got our material about a month ago. They are prepared and are definitely doing great for the first time.”

LJE students are preparing for the Tulare

County Competition that is scheduled to take place by the end of January 2019. This was their first scrimmage at the court room, and are planning to have another one in a few weeks.

“I know it is going to be messy,” added Navarro. “But it is going to prepare them for the competition.”

The class is looking forward to a second scrimmage, but next time it will be against an opposing team from the competition.

“Judge Roper makes it possible, he is a huge advocate for us,” said Navarro expressing her gratitude. “He really helps the kids out, he is the one that set this afternoon to listen to the cases.”

By the end of the mock trial Judge Roper expressed his thoughts and opinions to the students and gave them lots of advice for the future.

RECORDER PHOTO BY CHIEKO HARA Granite Hills High School’s Law Justice and Ethics Pathway students practice a mock trial session with Judge Glade Roper presiding Thursday, Oct. 25, at the South County Justice Center in Porterville.

RECORDER PHOTOS BY CHIEKO HARA Left: Judge Glade Roper gives some professional advice to members of Granite Hills High School’s Mock Trial team. Right: Granite Hills High School’s Araceli Vasquez asks questions to a witness during her portrayal as a prosecutor of a mock trial cased called ‘People vs. Klein’ Thursday, Oct. 25, at the South County Justice Center in Porterville.