Three years ago at approximately 1:00 AM at Columbus University, college freshman and aspiring fraternity member, Milan Jackson, fell to her death from the top of a clock tower. Was Milan pushed by fraternity president Chris Archer? Or was it simply because she was drunk and disoriented? Both the defense and prosecution are working their hardest to settle this case once and for all, and late one night at the Bothell courthouse, they are just about to.
The courtroom is crowded, stuffy, but electric with adrenaline. The judge clears his throat. He is just about to announce the sentence of the defendant in a court case with charges of hazing, alcohol, and manslaughter. Over the last hour, prosecution and defense have presented cutting cross examinations, emotional speeches and powerful closing sentences, both fighting for their side of the story. Attorneys and witnesses wait impatiently for the results of the trial. It is only when the judge leans forward and declares the defendant ‘not guilty,’ that the court room explodes in cheering and applause: the North Creek Intro to Law class has won a long-fought victory over Bothell High School.
The trial, of course, was fictional. It was the final for Intro to Law, a class that explores First Amendment rights, criminal cases, and court trials, and was created by teacher Casey Kellogg. Everything from petty misdemeanors to ugly murders are covered over the course of the semester in slideshows, interactive games and activities by Kellogg, preparing the students for their most stressful, yet most rewarding final they’ve taken.
Period four of Intro to Law were on the defense side, and won their trial with two of the three charges dropped. Sophomore Atlas Knott played the defendant Chris Archer. “It was really stressful, the nerves got to me especially since I was playing the defendant, but once I was at the trial, it wasn’t that bad,” Knott said. “Intro to Law was educational but also really fun.”
The trial was full of tension, but there were also moments of entertainment and humor, sending laughter through the crowd of watching families. The jury was full of volunteer family and friends from both Bothell and North Creek students, and they listened carefully as each witness and attorney spoke on the stand. Junior Leslie Reyes-Venacio, also in period 4, was the direct questioner of one of the witnesses.
“To prepare for the trial, I studied my witness and took a lot of notes,” she said. “I was really nervous because of the objections, but it went really well.”
Both Knott and Reyes-Venacio agree that the mock trial was their favorite part of the class, and that they would take Law 2 if their class schedule has enough room. In period five of Intro to Law, the trial went similarly, with the class playing defense and winning with two of the three charges dropped.
“The class was a lot more fun and chill than I expected, there were a lot of fun activities!” said sophomore Sharon Shim. Shim, along with teammate Kate McKenzie, was a cross examiner of one of the witnesses. Fifth period played defense and won their trial against Bothell after fourth period’s victory. McKenzie and Shim also won the best cross examination award.
The trials were organized by Bothell’s Intro to Law Teacher, and Kellogg. On the last day of class after the trial, the students gathered their name cards and wrote down a lesson they learned: their First Amendment rights, the level of alcohol in blood that is considered illegal, more confidence, better public speaking, how trials work in court, and much more. Even though this chapter of their life is over, they were only just beginning the next one. The joy and feeling of accomplishment that Kellogg’s Intro to Law brought to many students will surely stay with them for a long time, and may encourage some to stick around for more fun in Law 2!
