By Angela Brown

Students get fun lesson in law at mock trial

Apr 28, 2017 | 4:53 PM

SpongeBob SquarePants found himself in trouble at the North Battleford Provincial Court. 

The character, played by a student, was part of its class exercise for three Battlefords-area schools learning more about the judicial process. 

The mock trial involved a case of theft for the character, who didn’t know the law required him to pay the accepted currency, or any currency for that matter, when he allegedly tried to take the Finding Dory DVD from Wal-Mart last December without paying for it.

Despite SpongeBob SquarePants’ story, that wasn’t enough for the judge who handed him a conditional sentence on Friday, April 28.

The event also recognizes the 35th anniversary of the signing of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The anniversary took place April 17, which is known across Canada as Law Day.

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“That is the whole reason of having Law Day. The anniversary, of the signing of the Charter is to try and remind people about the Charter and the value of the Charter, and what the Charter means to our society. Of course, the many protections that are found within the Charter as they relate to criminal law are important to try to emphasize,” Judge L. Dyck said. The provincial court judge helped organize the event with several lawyers from the area who also took part.

Local students from North Battleford Comprehensive High School (NBCHS), John Paul II Collegiate, and Sakewew High School had roles in the trial, acting as part of the Crown team, the defence, and in the role of the accused, judge and clerk. About 12 students in grades 9 to 12 took part in the trial, while about 60 students and parents attended.

Student Alexander Plummer played the judge.

“I would definitely recommend this to anyone who would like to experience law and order and all those things that help keep the world intact,” the Sakewew High School youth said.

He said he learned a lot from taking part in the trial, while adding one day he might like to “take a stab at law school.”

He added he was “shocked and amazed” to see how the court system in Canada works.

 In the role of the accused, SpongeBob SquarePants – identified in the trial as a newcomer to North Battleford, was student Dante Bacchetto.

“It’s a really good experience to learn about how courts work,” the NBCHS student said. The youth is also on the debating team at school. While taking part in the mock trial he noticed how the court process in Canada is quite a bit different than the American system.  

Lawyer Robert Feist who was on the team that helped organize the event, acted as coach for the defence team.

“It’s a great opportunity to give them a sense of the law, how the court process works and the basis of a real trial,” he said.  

He said he hopes the students will one day consider a career in law.

The North Battleford lawyer added the story behind the day’s mock court case also involved some interesting issues – such as the complexities of completing an illegal action, and the question of whether the action was done with or without intention. Other issues raised include the role of the law in society, and the unique experience of a newcomer arriving in Canada and trying to adapt. He hopes for students taking part in the mock trial that learning a bit about these issues will prompt many conversations among the youth in the future. 

“I think the script was designed to give students a sense of some of the very real conflicts we deal with in the courtroom, every day,” Feist said.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW