Walton High’s mock trial team places 3rd in state

During the recent Georgia Mock Trial State Finals Tournament, Walton High School’s team made it to the final four, ultimately placing third in the state out of 99 teams.

A part of the Cobb County School District, the team was led by Cobb Superior Court Judge Jason Marbutt and localattorney Bill Atkins, along with a federal administrative law judge Chris Sprague and local attorney Petal Walker.

Walton’s team finished with a 9-1 record, only losing in its final round to the eventual champion.

“Mock trial is a great way for kids to learn about our court system,” Marbutt said.

“More importantly, it’s a great wayfor kids to learn about themselves. They have to stand their ground in legal disputes, control their emotions amidst disagreement and remain calm even when things don’t go how they expect. Being able to be in an actual courtroom enhances the experience for the kids, and I was happy I could offer a safe space for them,” the judge added.

Teams consist of six to 12 students who present one side of the case each round, being assigned to either the plaintiff or defense.

Students on the Walton High School team are Jenny Krakowski, Elise Johnson, Grace Hardy, Piran Terlesky, Andrew Lee, Mika Dennerline, Sanya Kaushal, Gryffin Crowder-white, Collin Marbutt, Sarah Hardy and Omer Inan.

The 2021 mock trial season operated differently this year due to the pandemic.

Instead of a single Saturday of competition, teams used Zoom to compete virtually in rounds held throughout the week and weekend over seven weeks.

Also, instead of competing in the traditional way by regions, all teams competed in a statewide competition.

Preliminary rounds began the weekend of Jan. 30, followed by mid-level rounds in early March.

The top 32 teams from the midlevel round then moved on to compete in the state finals tournament near the end of March.

During the 10 rounds of competition, Jenny Krakowski won six Best Attorney awards, Elise Johnson won three Best Attorney awards, Gryffin CrowderWhite won three Best Witness awards, Sarah Hardy won a Best Witness award and Omer Inan won a Best Witness award. CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC