MONROE - If Saturday's mock trial is any indication, Green County has some great legal minds.
Seven students from Monroe High School won first-place Feb. 8 at the Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament.
The tournament is sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin.
It was the first year Monroe ever sent a team to the tournament in more than 20 years, Monroe attorney Tara Kleinhans said.
Kleinhans said she approached the school about a team and wasn't sure how much of an interest she would find. She was surprised when she found students who thought it would be fun. Kleinhans and teachers Sherri Hendrickson and Sarah Domres acted as coaches for the team.
Eighteen students came forward to be part of the team.
"We started in October and had tons of meetings," Kleinhans said.
It took a great deal of time and commitment from the students to make a team.
They had to learn about opening statements, closing arguments, how to conduct a direct examination, a cross examination and rules of evidence. The had to learn how to develop questions and how to present the evidence most favorable to their case, both as defense attorneys and as prosecuting attorneys.
"They had to learn about evidence that would be relevant to the case, hearsay testimony and speculation," Kleinhans said. "It took a lot of time. They got together on snow days and when they didn't have school to practice."
Monroe attorney Dan Bestul and Green County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl also helped the students.
The students rose to the challenge she said and spent hours practicing their cases and learning the rules.
Eventually, six of the 18 students emerged as the team: seniors Chelsey Metcalf and Natasha Morgan, juniors Maggie Shuda and Niamh O'Neill-Culhane and sophomores Tessa Frutiger and Nicole Heinen. They and Peter Kelly, who served as official time keeper for the group, were ready to go to Madison to test their skills against other schools in front of judges who would grade their performances.
The students presented four cases, two as defense attorneys and two as prosecutors, in front of Dane County judges and in front of a federal court judge.
"The judges said our team won every one of the cases," Kleinhans said.
The Monroe students faced some tough competition, Kleinhans said. They faced off against students from 15 other schools, including Madison schools that sent students to the tournament every year since it began 25 years ago.
Monroe students will compete in the state competition March 16 and if they win there they will argue cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court March 17.
Seven students from Monroe High School won first-place Feb. 8 at the Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament.
The tournament is sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin.
It was the first year Monroe ever sent a team to the tournament in more than 20 years, Monroe attorney Tara Kleinhans said.
Kleinhans said she approached the school about a team and wasn't sure how much of an interest she would find. She was surprised when she found students who thought it would be fun. Kleinhans and teachers Sherri Hendrickson and Sarah Domres acted as coaches for the team.
Eighteen students came forward to be part of the team.
"We started in October and had tons of meetings," Kleinhans said.
It took a great deal of time and commitment from the students to make a team.
They had to learn about opening statements, closing arguments, how to conduct a direct examination, a cross examination and rules of evidence. The had to learn how to develop questions and how to present the evidence most favorable to their case, both as defense attorneys and as prosecuting attorneys.
"They had to learn about evidence that would be relevant to the case, hearsay testimony and speculation," Kleinhans said. "It took a lot of time. They got together on snow days and when they didn't have school to practice."
Monroe attorney Dan Bestul and Green County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Kohl also helped the students.
The students rose to the challenge she said and spent hours practicing their cases and learning the rules.
Eventually, six of the 18 students emerged as the team: seniors Chelsey Metcalf and Natasha Morgan, juniors Maggie Shuda and Niamh O'Neill-Culhane and sophomores Tessa Frutiger and Nicole Heinen. They and Peter Kelly, who served as official time keeper for the group, were ready to go to Madison to test their skills against other schools in front of judges who would grade their performances.
The students presented four cases, two as defense attorneys and two as prosecutors, in front of Dane County judges and in front of a federal court judge.
"The judges said our team won every one of the cases," Kleinhans said.
The Monroe students faced some tough competition, Kleinhans said. They faced off against students from 15 other schools, including Madison schools that sent students to the tournament every year since it began 25 years ago.
Monroe students will compete in the state competition March 16 and if they win there they will argue cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court March 17.