PERRYSBURG COURT EXPLORERS PREPARE FOR MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION

November 29, 2007 – Perrysburg, Ohio – The Perrysburg Court Law & Government Explorer Post has started practice for the 2008 mock trial competition.  The Ohio Mock Trial Program, established by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) in 1983, is a statewide educational program designed to allow students to become aware of their constitutional rights and responsibilities.  It provides students the opportunity to learn first hand about the law, court procedures and the judicial system while also building interpretation, critical thinking and public speaking skills.  Students who compete in the mock trial program come away with a greater understanding of not only the principals our legal system is founded on but of themselves and the skills they possess.

The 2007-2008 Ohio High School Mock Trial competition features a clash between a church's free exercise of religion and a city's desire to prevent a public nuisance.  In this year's case, a church is attempting to carry out its religious mission by allowing homeless persons to camp on church property.  But due to concerns related to crime and the public health, the city has begun dispersing the homeless persons from the church grounds.  The church files a lawsuit against the city, seeking an injunction that would prevent the city from dispersing the homeless persons whom the church allows to live on its property.  The church argues that the city's actions unconstitutionally burden the church's free exercise of religion, as guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

The district mock trial competition is scheduled for February 1, 2008. Members of the Perrysburg Court Explorer Post have formed three teams to compete in this year’s competition.  The teams are:

Team Casey: Michael Belazis, Marshall Buchanan, Hannah Casey, Matt Jender, Nick Prephan, Brett Samsen, Kyle Thompson and Pam Twu;

Team Belazis: Jason Ginn, Jake Kosinski, Dave Mallinson ,Stephanie Messenger, Hanna Miller, Ellen Steele, Brad Thielen and Erin Veller;

Team Osterud: Scott Cameron, Katie Cottle, Elise Matney, Shane Millen, Josh Riesen, Ben Sironko, Lauren Smith and Yufei Tian.

The teams are coached by Peter R. Casey, III, Paul Belazis, Dr. Beth Rohrbacher and Judge Dwight Osterud.  This is the sixth year of competition for the Explorer Post.

The teams are coached by Peter R. Casey, III, Paul Belazis, Dr. Beth Rohrbacher and Judge Dwight Osterud.  This is the sixth year of competition for the Explorer Post.

Dave Mallinson and Stephanie Messenger practice overseen by Paul Belazis.

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