Legislation Document

SPONSOR:	Sen. Gay & Sen. Brown & Rep. Griffith
Sens. Hoffner, S. McBride, Pettyjohn, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh; Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Cooke, K. Johnson, S. Moore, Morrison, Romer, Michael Smith, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 34

CONGRATULATING THE WINNERS OF THE 32ND ANNUAL DELAWARE HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, over 200 students from public, private, parochial, and charter schools throughout Delaware comprised 18 teams that participated in the 2023 Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition; and

WHEREAS, the competition took place over two days on February 24 and 25, 2023; and

WHEREAS, for the first time since 2020, the competition was held at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center; and

WHEREAS, the 2023 Mock Trial Committee organized the case material and coordinated the competition; and

WHEREAS, the event was sponsored by the Delaware Law Related Education Center, Inc., and made possible due to the time and effort of many volunteers; and

WHEREAS, the competition provides a valuable civic learning experience to all who participate; and

WHEREAS, teams make opening statements, make closing arguments, question mock witnesses and experts, and must argue both sides of the case; and

WHEREAS, teams are judged on presentation of the case facts and knowledge of the law; and

WHEREAS, for the first time in the competition’s history this year, the final championship round was judged by an all-female judging panel of the Delaware Bench and Bar, including Presiding Judge Tamika Montgomery-Reeves of the Third Circuit, Judge Maryellen Noreika of the District of Delaware, President Judge Jan Jurden of the Delaware Superior Court, Delaware State Court Administrator Gayle P. Lafferty, and Delaware State Senator Kyle Gay.

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, congratulates the winners of the competition from the Charter School of Wilmington and wishes them much success as they represent Delaware in the National High School Mock Trial Championship this May.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the runners up – the Wilmington Friends School (second place), Cape Henlopen High School (third place), Archmere Academy (fourth place), and Tower Hill School (fifth place) – are all hereby recognized.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate congratulates Jace Walker of Archmere Academy who won the courtroom artist competition and wishes her much success as she represents Delaware in the national competition in May.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Audrey Pachuta of Ursuline Academy is also recognized as the winner of the first-in-Delaware courtroom journalist contest.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that students from Cape Henlopen High School and Salesianum School who formed a “bye-buster” team the morning of the first day of the competition in order to have an even number of teams are commended for winning the Delaware Way Award, given to the team that best exemplifies the ideals of mock trial, including civility, justice, and fairness.