By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

EIGHT public and private schools will compete in this year’s mock trial competition which aims to educate students about the legal system.
Saipan Southern High School, last year champion, will defend its title against Grace Christian Academy, Mount Carmel School, Kagman High School, Marianas Baptist Academy, Marianas High School, Tinian High School and Rota High School.
The 9th mock trial competition will take place on Friday and Saturday in Superior Court.
According to Andrew Golden, one of the teacher coaches of SSHS, they are confident his team will defend their title.
“We have been practicing for three months, doing all the preparations three times a week. The kids worked hard and we’re very proud of the work that they’ve done. We’re hoping we get the same title again,” Golden told Variety yesterday, adding that the students are also being assisted by two teacher coaches and two attorney coaches.
SSHS won the competition in 2004 and 2006.
Last year, the team finished 30th in the national competition in Oklahoma City where 44 schools from various states competed for the title.
The case that will be presented this year is the civil trial of a fictitious high school graduate suing the school district for educational malpractice.
A similar version of the case was recently used in the junior high school mock trial competition.
CNMI judges and attorneys will preside and score the competition, which is organized by the CNMI Bar Association’s Karen Klaver and Teresa Kim.
During the competition, the students act as attorneys and argue their case in front of a judge.
This year, the winning team will travel to Dallas, Texas for the national contest.
“Since its beginning in 1999, the number of participating students has grown, as has the level of the competition. It rouses the competitive spirit between our high schools and legal community while educating students about the legal system. We hope the students walk away with an appreciation of the legal system and are empowered to defend their rights,” the CNMI Bar Association said in a statement.