The Parker Charter School’s Mock Trial team poses after a match. (Courtesy photo)

The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School’s student-led Mock Trial team had its best season since 2000 this past March, reaching the Final Four round of a competition consisting of more than 100 schools statewide.

Mock Trial is a simulation courtroom scene in which two schools’ teams take opposing sides of a fictional case and present their arguments before a judge. Every school competing receives information about the case and the evidence, and then prepares arguments for the defense and either the prosecution, for criminal trials, or the plaintiff, for civil trials. This year’s trial was a civil case involving an investment advisor who led the plaintiff to substantial financial losses.

In trials, the teams are judged on a scale from 1 to 10 for their opening and closing statements, cross-examinations, direct examinations, and witness testimonies. According to one of the Parker team’s captains, senior Matt Kelley, the main focus of the criteria is “CPR: Content, Performance, and Reaction.” While students’ presentations must prove a point and adhere to courtroom etiquette, adapting to the other team’s strategies and objections is equally important. “The best attorneys are those who can think on their feet,” says Kelley.

The Parker Mock Trial team has been around for more than 10 years, reaching the state finals once, in 2000. After a disappointing 2009 season, the team did not expect to reach the level of success that it did. Says senior Hugh Geller, the other team captain, “[Kelley and I] came to the conclusion that we’d be lucky to win a trial this year; we are so proud of our team for proving us completely wrong.” The team had an undefeated regular season and suffered its first and only defeat at the semifinal level.

The team’s success on the season is “incredible in and of itself,” says Kelley, “but is worthy of additional praise considering where it began.” The team was made up mostly of newcomers; many early practices focused on the performance aspect of the trial so that the team members would be comfortable in the courtroom setting. At a practice round against Westford Academy before the official season began, having focused heavily on performance rather than content, the Parker team lost decisively.

According to Kelley, though, “this defeat brought a new energy to the team, and we practiced long and hard before our first trial in February.” Parker ended up winning all three regular-season matches, twice competing as the defense and competing once as the plaintiff. They were the only undefeated team in the region.

As captains of the team, Kelley and Geller found a teacher to help prepare statements and an attorney to advise the team. They also scheduled team practices, both during the week and on weekends. According to Geller, the most difficult part of leading the group was making the team members use their practices wisely instead of getting distracted. “You want to join them as a friend, but… you have a responsibility to them and the rest of the team to make sure everyone is giving 110 percent; it’s hard to be the kill-joy but sometimes we had to.”

By the same token, the hours spent studying the evidence and preparing examinations were often thoroughly rewarding. Says Geller, “The best part… is when you find a great fact in your witness’ affidavit… or other piece of evidence. It’s like finding gold.”

Indeed, the hard work paid off immensely for the team. In addition, the team’s future looks bright, considering the 10 new students who joined this year. “We couldn’t have asked for a better team or coaches,” says Geller.