On Thursday, February 1st, Saiber Associate Cara Joy Skelley served as a judge for the New Jersey State Bar Foundation’s 2023-2024 Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, a state-wide mock trial for New Jersey high school students. Cara Joy judged a preliminary round of competition in Essex County, where students presented as attorneys (both defense and prosecution), key witnesses, and members of the jury. As part of the competition, students conducted a full trial, from start to finish, including interviewing key witnesses, cross examination, and opening and closing statements.
The Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition was created for the purpose of stimulating and encouraging a deeper understanding and appreciation of the American legal system by high school students. The students learn proper comportment from each other, their teacher-coaches, their attorney-coaches, the volunteer mock trial judges and their parents and other guest-observers in the courtroom.