Lower Cape May Regional Mock Trial Team Hopes to Clinch State Title

ERMA – Lower Cape May Regional High School History teacher Tom Higgins wants people to know “Our kids are doing lots of positive things.” That is despite the seemingly endless stream of bad news that bombards every day about youth issues. 
A “case in point” would be the Mock Trial team that he has coached at the high school for the last 20 years. 
This program is sponsored by The New Jersey State Bar Foundation, an organization that “seeks to help people better understand the law through providing educational programs to N.J. schools,” and the Cape May County Bar Association.
Mock trial competitions held throughout the state provide high school students with an opportunity to learn the law and more importantly, they get to practice the legal concepts they learn in a mock courtroom setting.
Higgins stated that there are six mock trial teams in Cape May County and that the Lower Cape May Regional team has been able to reach the state regional championship level with a five win, one loss season.
According to Higgins, each team designates students to fulfill the roles of attorneys, witnesses, and jurors; the judge is a member of the Bar Association who scores performances during mock trials where teams must argue both the plaintiff and the defendant sides.
Students are scored on opening statements, as well as the direct and cross-examination of witnesses. Higgins stated that their team recently defeated two schools at the Regional Championship in New Brunswick, including the defending state champions. They hope to win the state championship and progress to the national level.
Higgins stressed that this program would not be possible without the dedication of the Bar Association judges who spend much time preparing to hear the cases, as well as Barbara Bakley-Marino, wife of Cape May City Police Chief Anthony Marino and former county counsel, who has been volunteering time as an advisor to the team over the last 12 years.
Higgins also credited the assistant coach Joseph McKenna, for giving so much to the program that has realized such success this year.
Higgins’ pride in the team members was evident; he said he remains motivated by the discipline and preparation the team members’ exhibit to prepare and argue their cases. 
Clearly, the “best evidence” of the success of this program is found in the fact that there are nine former members of the Mock Trial program who are currently members of the Bar Association as practicing lawyers.
The following are team members competing for the state championship:
Delany Panczner – witness for both plaintiff and defense
Alex Marino – attorney for both plaintiff and defense
Dan Cristelo – attorney for defense
Avery Dowe – witness for defense
Julia Gindville – witness for plaintiff
Catherine Miller – executive assistant
Jessica Alexander – attorney for plaintiff and witness for defense
Samantha Froman – attorney of plaintiff
Jack Sandman – witness for defense and plaintiff
Carson Prince – witness/juror
Additional jurors
Mike Gianni
Ryan Umholtz
Ryan Creamer
Maggie Harrington
Savannah Tozer
Karli Whitten 
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.