Students battle case through mock court

She seized the moment, shredding the credibility of the psychotherapist's testimony during trial.

It was a classic and ruthless approach for a lawyer on cross-examination — only this trial was different.

It happened on Saturday, and those in skirts, suits and ties weren't lawyers and witnesses but high-school students competing in a mock trial at the King County Courthouse.

Nineteen teams from around the county took part in the start of this year's YMCA High School Mock Trial Competition, now in its 20th year.

Each team was made up of students playing the parts of lawyers and witnesses. Each team presented its case to a jury of three real attorneys, who then rated their performances.

The teams all worked with the same fictional case, which was written by King County Superior Court Judge William Downing. It touched on topics of employment law, creativity and school security.

The case centers on an English teacher who is suing for reinstatement after he was fired by a school district when a student brought a gun to school. The key issue is whether that teacher should have seen signs of potential violence in the student's Edgar Allan Poe-inspired writings.

Over the course of the day, 30 lawyers and 10 Superior and District Court judges volunteered their time in the courtrooms.

Working behind the scenes was Downing, who has coordinated the mock trials for King County and has been an integral part of the program's success since its inception two decades ago.

He recalled the first several years, when just four or five teams participated.

"You get satisfaction from seeing students put energy into a worthwhile pursuit," he said. "The notion is to help a broad range of students have respect for the system but also develop skills of looking at issues from both sides."

Back in one of the courtrooms, teams from Roosevelt High School and Jefferson Community Center squared off.

Madeline Grose, a Roosevelt student-attorney, questioned Jennifer Tang, of Jefferson Community Center, who acted as the psychotherapist.

Tang appeared confident on the witness stand, saying the teacher was aware of all the key indicators that the student was dangerous.

But Grose grilled her more, showing that some of Tang's testimony wasn't based on facts.

Eight teams moved on to the semifinals and will compete this week. Advancing were teams from Franklin High School, Mercer Island High School, Eastside Catholic High School, three teams from Seattle Preparatory School and two teams from University Prep.

Top teams from counties across Washington will meet in statewide competition in Olympia on March 27-29.

The event is a program of YMCA Youth & Government and is co-sponsored by the state Administrative Office of the Courts, the Washington Judges Foundation and the Young Lawyers Division of the Washington State Bar Association.

Christine Willmsen: 206-464-3261 or cwillmsen@seattletimes.com.