Mock trial a great success

The Honorable Teresa Warner '81

Being questioned

The third annual Mock Trial was hosted on Nov. 21 in the Common Room and was a smashing success. This year’s case involved an allegation of date rape against a college student and provided the audience with all the courtroom drama that one would expect for that type of case.

The attorneys, who were all SMU students, did an excellent job presenting their cases. Kevin Gannon, Alec Rolain and Denard Covington represented the prosecution, and Matthew Smaron, Miles Dunna and Aide Hernandez represented the defendant in the hotly contested case.

The witnesses were all SMU students from the theatre department who played their roles with such conviction that one truly believed they were the characters in the case. Katie Sapper, Andrew Hanselka, Alex Akers, Gabriel Verges, Julie Frederickson and Allie Kriz made each of their characters come alive.

It was a close case, and after the two juries deliberated (composed entirely of SMU students who were spectators) one jury voted to convict and the other to acquit. A reception capped off what was a very memorable event for all who attended.

The Honorable Teresa Warner was the judge for the Mock Trial. Judge Warner is the Chief Judge of the Second Judicial District (St. Paul area) and a 1981 graduate of Saint Mary’s. In addition to judging the case, Judge Warner took extra time after the case to speak with the student attorneys and other interested students about her take on the case and the legal system generally. She also spoke to business law classes the next day about her experiences as a judge in Minnesota.

Minnesota district chief judge to preside over mock trial

Minnesota Second Judicial District Chief Judge (and 1981 Saint Mary’s University alumna) Teresa (Schultz) Warner will preside over the third annual SMU Saint Mary’s Mock Trial from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. The event will be held in the Common Room.

In this unique learning opportunity, SMU pre-law students will act as the attorneys in a hotly contested case, which mirrors an actual trial. Students will also participate as jurors and witnesses. The mock trial gives SMU pre-law students the opportunity to participate in a litigated case and get trial experience.

Warner serves as the chief judge of the Second Judicial District (Ramsey County) and was appointed by Gov. Arne Carlson in 1998. She was elected in 2000, 2006 and 2012, and her current term expires in January 2019. After graduating from William Mitchell College of Law, she served in private practice and then as a Washington County prosecutor before being appointed a judge.

Judge Warner will also be speaking to classes Nov. 22.

The mock trial is hosted by the Business and Social Science Departments. Attendance is open to the SMU community; those interested in learning more about our legal system are especially encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Larry Price at Ext. 1533 or lprice@smumn.edu.

First SMU mock trial is Oct. 27

The Business and Social Science Departments are hosting the first SMU Mock Trial from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Common Room.

SMU pre-law students will act as the attorneys in a hotly contested case which mirrors an actual trial. Students will also participate as jurors and witnesses. Attendance is open to everyone — those interested in learning more about our legal system are especially encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Larry Price at Ext. 1533 or lprice @smumn.edu.