Perrysburg Court Explorers Prepare for 2006-07 Ohio Mock Trial Competition

PERRYSBURG COURT EXPLORERS PREPARE FOR ANNUAL OHIO MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION

Perrysburg, Ohio – December 20, 2006 – More than 3500 students from over 350 teams and 250 schools have been preparing for weeks for Ohio’s largest academic competition – Ohio High School Mock Trial.

Students from Perrysburg Court Law and Government Explorer Post 2306 will compete in the Ohio Mock Trial district competition on Friday, February 9, 2007. This will be the Explorer Post’s fifth year participating in the Ohio Mock Trial Program, which is produced by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE). Each year the OCLRE’s Case Committee creates a fictitious case involving a constitutional issue.

The case this year is based upon the limitations of a government’s right to take private property under The Fifth Amendment “Eminent Domain” provision of the United States Constitution. The city of Strawberry Hills desires to take the house owned by the Petitioner, Chris Washington – not for a public project, but rather to permit a private developer to build a mixed use development as part of an urban revitalization project.

To maximize student learning in competition, a team of students present and logically argue both plaintiff’s and defendant’s side and participate in two trials against competing high schools.

District winners from throughout the state will advance to regional competition on Friday, February 23. The state finals will then proceed from March 8-10 in Columbus, Ohio, where the final championship round will be held in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. The state winner will then compete in the national competition in Dallas, Texas from May 10-12.

Perrysburg Court Law and Government Explorer Post 2306 is sending three teams to district competition. Judge Dwight Osterud of Perrysburg Municipal Court is legal advisor to all teams. Dr. Beth Rohrbacher, retired Student Services Director of Perrysburg Schools, is teacher advisor. John P. Donahue, an attorney with a Perrysburg office, continues to serve as a legal advisor to all three teams.

Team Belazis is comprised of: Michael Belazis, Katherine Cottle, Jason Ginn, Nickolaus Keller, Rachel Marvin, Hannah Miller, Angela Robinson, Ellen Steele, Bradley Thielen and Amy Williams. Paul Belazis, an attorney with the firm Arnold, Caruso, Green & Belazis, Ltd., serves as legal advisor.

Team Casey is comprised of: Hanna BredenbeckCorp, Marshall Buchanan, Maria Dicke, Matt Jender, Danielle Jensen, Alexandra Koerner, Dave Mettert, Nicholas Prephan, Brett Samsen and Kyle Thompson. Peter R. Casey, III, an attorney with the firm Eastman & Smith, Ltd., serves as legal advisor.

Team Osterud is compromised of: Sarah Jender, Katherine Karnitis, Jake Kosinski, David Mallinson, Stephanie Messenger, Ben Sironko, Lauren Smith, Erin Sutton, Yufei Tian and Erin Veller. Judge Dwight Osterud serves as legal advisor.