Today, in the College of Law’s Large Moot Courtroom, selected law students will be given the opportunity to test their legal knowledge by participating in a mock trial that uses a historical event as its basis.
Professor Stephen Easton is in charge of selecting the students that will participate in the trial, as well as the historical story used. For this year’s case, he chose a scenario based on Lewis and Clark’s exploration west, United States v. Meriweather Lewis and Silas Goodrich. This particular case focuses on Lewis being accused of stealing a canoe from the Clatsop Tribe to return home in an attempt at fleeing from the tribe and the harsh winters.
“The trial surrounds the fact that they stole it to get home, but their defense is actually the most important part where they’re saying ‘Well, we stole it out of necessity’,” Juris Doctorate Andrea Sobel said.
Sobel participated as an event coordinator two years prior and will be acting as a student attorney representing the state for this year’s trial. Students will be working closely with real-life attorneys and judges on the case.
“The fictional part is that we turn it into a case,” Sobel said.
Having four years of high school theater under her belt, Sobel expressed her delight in participating in the mock trial.
“I did a lot of stage management and that’s actually what drew me to the first two events because it sort of operates like it would a show,” Sobel said. “It’s fun though, that’s why I do it.”
Professor Easton describes the trial as the law school’s “spring musical.” It will include theater-like characteristics, such as having the participants of the trial dress in historically accurate clothing. The witnesses, for example, will be required to get into character to create a more real-life atmosphere.
Joel Defebaugh, a witness for the prosecution and a former defense attorney at last year’s trial, believes the event is needed for students in preparation for real, future trials.
“I don’t think it’s too far off from what we experience,” Defebaugh said. “If you are anywhere inclined to be in the courtroom as an attorney, then there’s a certain amount of acting that goes into that as well. You have to win the jury over in real trials, just the same as this one. Standing up against an opposing party, having real witnesses to work with, those kind of things … so while it’s not a ‘real trial’ it gives you the preparation and mindset that you need to be successful in going to trial.”
While other law schools have mock trials, they don’t center around a historical event.
“Other than Missouri, who I believe still does the trials, Wyoming is the only law school that does anything like this,” Sobel said. “That’s something unique that we do that you won’t find anywhere else.”
Sobel believes the mock trial to be beneficial in more ways than one. It aids in helping students network with professionals that could potentially help with their future careers. “Another way that people do benefit is that it acts, in part, as networking with our community,” Sobel said. “We get to connect with attorneys and judges. That kind of networking, especially in Wyoming where it’s a very close-knit community, it’s very helpful for students to take that extra step and work with people who are already successful.”
Sam Laffey, a participant in last year’s trial said the experience allowed him to do historical research and provided insight about the fashion during the era that the trial was based off of.
“I participated in last year’s historical trial as the student costume manager, an assistant researcher, a communication assistant and an usher,” Laffey said.
Defebaugh said the turnout for last year’s trial was “enormous” with the large courtroom being crowded with students, faculty and members of the community who were interested in witnessing the trial.
