Mount St. Mary Wins Somerset County Mock Trial Championship

Mount Saint Mary Academy’s Mock Trial team earned its third consecutive Somerset County Championship on Wednesday, January 28. This was their fifth county title in the past seven years. The team defeated Montgomery High School in the finals match held at Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville. Mount senior Jessica Heine of Cranford was named the trial’s best attorney.

Before defeating Montgomery in the tournament finals, the Mount earned victories over Hillsborough High School, Somerville High School, and Immaculata High School. During these earlier rounds, Mount junior Jugdip Khokher of Iselin and senior Elizabeth Maddera of Cranford were each named best attorney, with Maddera earning the distinction in two trials.

This year’s case, written by the New Jersey Bar Foundation, involved the alleged negligence of a school chaperone during a field trip in which a student was seriously injured. Mock Trial participants began preparing both sides of the case as attorneys and witnesses from the beginning of the school year before facing off in county competition starting in early January.

With the county win, the Mount team now advances to the Regional Tournament held on Thursday, February 5 at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick.