PERRYSBURG COURT EXPLORERS ADVANCE TO REGIONAL COMPETITION

February 4, 2008 – Perrysburg, Ohio – The Perrysburg Municipal Court Law and Government Explorer Post 2306 is sending two mock trial teams to the regional competition at a site yet to be named.  The district competition was held Friday, February 1, 2008, in the courtrooms of the Wood County Common Pleas Court.  The Wood County Bar Association, in cooperation with the Wood County Common Pleas Court judges, hosted the event.  The mock trial judges were Judge Reeve Kelsey, Judge David Woesner, and Attorney Max Rayle.

The severe weather prohibited the teams from Penta Career Center from appearing; however, the plaintiff side of Team Osterud competed against the defense side of Team Casey in the only trial permitted to proceed at the district level.  Team Casey won and will proceed, along with Team Belazis, to the regional competition.

The case scenario this year concerns a request by the People’s Church for an injunction against the city of Urbanopolis to prohibit the city from interfering with the church’s ministry to homeless persons congregating on church property.  The city says the presence of homeless persons creates a health hazard and is a nuisance to the city.

Those competing were Ben Sironko and Josh Riesen, Attorneys; Yufei Tian, who played the part of a homeless person; and Elise Matney, who played the part of a physician.  On the defense were Brett Samsen and Michael Belazis, Attorneys; Hannah Casey, who played the part of a local merchant; and Matt Jender, who played the part of the city’s public health officer.  Brett Samsen was awarded Outstanding Attorney and Yufei Tian was awarded Outstanding Witness.