Brick Memorial, Central Regional To Face Off In Mock Trial Final

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Students from Brick Memorial High School and Central Regional High School will be squaring off Wednesday night, arguing opposing sides of a criminal case in the championship of the Ocean County High School Mock Trial competition.

The contest, part of the statewide Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in historic Courtroom 1 at the Ocean County Courthouse in downtown Toms River.

The teams will be arguing a fictional criminal case that has hints of real life: a woman is accused of supplying the drugs that led to a man's fatal overdose and is being prosecuted under New Jersey's strict liability for a drug-induced death statute.

The Ocean County competition, which began Saturday, is coordinated by Brick Mayor John Ducey, an attorney in Brick; Maryanne Calvetto, an attorney in Toms River; and Stacie A. Brustman, an attorney in Lakehurst.

Saturday's all-day competition began with eight teams and narrowed it down to Brick Memorial and Central. Brick Memorial won the 2013-14 and 2015-16 competitions; Central Regional won the competition in the 2014-15 school year.

The goals of the mock trial competition, according to the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, are to increase comprehension of the historical, ethical and philosophical basis of the American justice system and "bring the law to life for students through active participation," while helping students with leadership skills along with writing, listening, analyzing and public speaking.

The competition is open to the public.

Note: This article has been updated to correct the finalists to Brick Memorial and Central Regional. An earlier version of this article said the final would pit Brick Memorial against the team from MATES, based on information supplied to Patch. We regret the error.

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