Dutch Fork Middle Head to State Mock Trial Competition

Dutch Fork Middle School is one of 12 middle schools in the state to advance to the S.C. Bar Middle School Mock Trial State Competition.

The competition will be held Dec. 7-8 at the Marc H. Westbrook Lexington County Judicial Center, 205 E. Main Street in Lexington.

Other schools include Crayton, Dent, Forestbrook, Hammond, Hand, Johnsonville, Johnston-Edgefield-Trenton, Myrtle Beach, N. Myrtle Beach, Ocean Bay and Springfield.

This year’s fictitious case is Jess McGee v. Kasey Moore.

McGee, the owner of a prized bull, is suing Moore for negligence after the bull escaped from his pasture and was killed in an accident. Moore denies negligence, claiming the accident was unavoidable, and is suing McGee for the damage caused to her car.

The students present both sides of the case before a panel of local volunteer lawyers and judges.

Students act as the attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs and timekeepers.

Each team is judged on its presentation skills, rather than the legal merits of the case, according to a news release.

To read more information about the case or about the Middle School Mock Trial Program, click here. 

The Mock Trial program is sponsored by the S.C. Bar’s Law Related Education Division.