Goshen High School’s Judah Gordon, Jolina Dong and Michelle Gukham confer during a break in the finals of the Orange-Ulster BOCES Division of Instructional Support Services’ Mock Trial competition on Tuesday, March 28, at the Orange County Courthouse in Goshen.
Following two weekends of trials between Mock Trial teams from 10 local school districts, Washingtonville High School and Goshen High School faced each other in the Orange-Ulster BOCES’ Mock Trial Finals held on March 28 in the Orange County Courthouse. Goshen High School’s team played the role of plaintiff while Washingtonville played the defense in this year’s fictitious civil case, “Remington Stone v. Marley Miser and Acme Construction Company.” The Honorable Judge E. Loren Williams, Supreme Court Justice and supervising judge for all city courts in the ninth judicial district, presided over the trial.
After well-developed arguments presented by both sides, Goshen High School was awarded the win. Judge Williams was highly complementary of both teams and their performances.
Goshen High School will move on to the Regional Tournament at the Clarkstown Justice Court in Rockland County on April 29, where they will compete against teams from the lower Hudson Valley. The winner of the regional trial progresses to the New York State Mock Trial Tournament in Albany on May 21 through May 23.
The Orange County Mock Trial is one of the many extracurricular enrichment programs for districts coordinated by the OU BOCES Division of Instructional Support. Students learn how to conduct direct and cross-examinations, how to present opening and closing statements, how to think on their feet, and learn the dynamics of a courtroom. On the state level, the program is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association. Locally, the program is sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association and coordinated by OU BOCES in collaboration with the Honorable Craig S. Brown and the Honorable Kimberly Van Haaster. Local judges, attorneys, legal professionals, and educators volunteer their time to preside over the mock courtrooms and assist with the program.
Goshen High School team members include: Jolina Dong, Michelle Gukhman, Judah Gordon, Naima Puertas, Darmis Rodriguez, Mia Colangelo, Angel Melendez- Nunez, Jason Barnes, Jack Moran, Gigi Gahra, Mary-Ann Mitchell, Franz Brendle, and Nate Mulse. Goshen High School’s Teacher Coach is Fred Miles and the team’s Attorney Coach is David Fish. Zak Constantine served as special advisor for the team.
For more information about the Orange County Mock Trial Tournament, contact Melanie Lofaro, Assistant Director of Instructional Support Services, at Orange-Ulster BOCES at 845-781-4363, extension 10702 or by email at melanie.lofaro@ouboces.org.