After winning trials against Cor Jesu on Tuesday, Feb. 29 and Lafayette on Thursday, March 2, the FHN mock trial team will be advancing to regionals, which take place April 1-3 in Kansas City, MO. In each trial, teams are given ballots from each of the three judges. FHN won five of their six total ballots.

“Winning is great,” senior Marygrace Cole said. “State is an exciting prospect. I think we did a really great job. There are definitely things that need to be fixed, but it was a good effort by everyone.”

Coached by Randy Pierce and lawyers Contessa Brundridge and Phil Groenweghe, the team is split into two sides – the plaintiff and the defense. On each side, students portray both lawyers and witnesses that are involved in the case, which is given to students at the beginning of each season by the Missouri Bar Association.

This year’s case is a civil lawsuit, in which the plaintiff is the Billings family, who are arguing that the Metro City School District’s negligence led to the bullying of their child, Alex, who is portrayed by senior Marygrace Cole.

The defendants are Metro City School District and the Pearson family, who say that it was actually Alex’s failure to inform anyone of the situation that led to the alleged bullying, not the school district’s negligence.

“I feel [the case] was put together in a way that makes it challenging for both sides, but you can find creative ways to explain scenarios on both sides,” freshman Riley Lawson said.

In order to prepare for the upcoming state competition, the mock trial team will be meeting twice a week, on Tuedays and Thursdays in the evening at the FHN library.

“It will probably go well,” Lawson said. “I think people will continue working hard through State, and maybe even work harder.”