On January 30, the Boston Latin School Mock Trial team qualified for the state regional competition for the first time in five years. This achievement came after months of intense preparation and dedicated teamwork along with coaching from Mr. Jerry Howland (‘66), former BLS Associate Headmaster.
BLS Civics teacher and Mock Trial advisor Mr. William Ruzzo acknowledges, “They totally deserve it, and to tell you the truth, [in] past years, they have gotten some bad decisions in the preliminary rounds. […] Really, things that kind of stacked against them. They work so hard [and] prepare so much, so they deserve it. They may have finished around 16th, but I can promise you [that] they are definitely a top ten team in the state.”
A typical mock trial competition works by competing in a format that is similar to a courtroom trial. Students are tasked with arguing either for the prosecution or the defense in a case. The prosecution’s role is to prove the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, while the defense’s job is to argue that there is insufficient evidence to convict the defendant. Each side is responsible for presenting three witnesses to play out the full trial.
Preparations for the competition began during October 2025, when they first received the case materials. They met on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays for two-hour long practice sessions leading up to the competition in January. During the week leading up to the competition, the team practiced every day by perfecting their arguments, mastering witness testimonies and mapping out potential scenarios.
Ami Mai (III), a member of the team, explains, “I practiced a lot with other people, constantly reviewing my parts, and this became crucial in the days before we had a competition. It was extremely stressful balancing my other schoolwork. I would prioritize my tasks by seeing which assignments were pertinent and which assignments could be done later.”
Since 1985, the Massachusetts Bar Association has hosted the primary statewide mock trial competition for high school students. Each year, high school students all around the state are given a fabricated case in the Massachusetts court system to prepare for. The case this year, Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Aud Raysau, was centered on a fictional scenario involving a film production where the director was accused of allegedly poisoning the defendant through an almond allergy.
There are many challenges that come with competing in a system where students run the club: some schools may train more, have more money to spend or have stronger support.
Mary Flaherty (I), one of the co-captains of the team, comments, “Our defense team of four lawyers went against [the] prosecution teams of six lawyers. Every member of our team is so busy, and they still find a way to stay on top of all of their work […] We, [however,] have a team full of really kind, fun and friendly people, and everybody really supports each other.”
The team’s hard work paid off, as BLS Mock Trial qualified for states and emerged as regional champions by defeating Boston Latin Academy, Boston College High School and the Commonwealth School. Embolded by their recent success at the state regional competition, BLS Mock Trial is ready to come back stronger than ever next year.