MURRAY, Neb. — Conestoga’s senior mock trial team went to the regional finals Wednesday afternoon where they competed against Bellevue West for an opportunity to go to state. Conestoga’s senior team qualified for the final after winning all three of their preliminary competitions. Conestoga’s junior team won one out of three of their preliminary competitions.

Mock Trial was coached this year by Nick Hegge and Judge Lawrence Welch and was able to compete with two full teams. One team was composed entirely of seniors at Conestoga while the other was made up of underclassmen. Both teams have been practicing with Hegge and Judge Welch since September.

The activity has been an opportunity for students to learn about the law, public speaking and thinking critically. Each year students are given a new case (criminal or civil) to take on. This year’s case is cited as Brichacek v. Sweet. In the case, Danny Brichacek alleged that his father’s caretaker, Lee Sweet, illegally took a valuable painting and a diamond from the Brichacek home. Sweet claims these items were gifts, despite controversy on whether the father had the mental capacity to make such gifts. Conestoga’s two teams had an opportunity to argue in court on both sides: defense and plaintiff.

Students can look forward to the next case before the Mock Trial team in September 2023.