High school students compete in mock trial at Barrie courthouse

A group of teens entered the Barrie courtroom on Thursday and participated in a mock trial competition.

The mock trial was meant to mimic a real-life trial with students from ten high schools across Simcoe Muskoka participating in the one-of-a-kind competition.

"It takes a lot of courage to step into a courtroom and act as a lawyer, especially when you have zero experience, it's a daunting task even for seasoned lawyers, these students, however, did it for the first time and they did it remarkably well," said Hon. Peter Douglas, Superior Court of Justice for Ontario.

Students in grades 11 and 12 played defence attorneys, accused murderers, crown attorneys, and witnesses in front of a packed crowd.

"It was so cool to practice in our city's courthouse and just being able to learn what it is like to go through cases and go through questions and work with witnesses," said Gracie Hawton, Student at Collingwood Collegiate Institute.

The competition, a significant event in the academic calendar, is held annually at the Barrie Courthouse, providing a real-life courtroom experience to high school students.