CCS students attend Law Day
Published 12:37 pm Friday, April 12, 2019
Students from Maplesville, Thorsby, Verbena and Isabella serve on the jury for the mock trial of Gold E. Locks. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)
Circuit Court Judge Bill Lewis presides over the mock trial.
Chilton County High School drama students Tony To and Tanna Curtis were the prosecution.
Elle Robinson, left, and Morgan Fowler serve as the defense attorneys for Gold E. Locks. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)
Three bears wait their turn as witnesses during the mock trial of Gold E. Locks. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)
Maplesville winners of the poster contest.
Thorsby winners of the poster contest.
Verbena poster contest winners
By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer
Chilton County Schools second-grade students saw the legal process in action on April 12 as a part of Law Day.
Law Day was hosted by Circuit Court Judge Bill Lewis in partnership with local first responders and other agencies.
“It is a really great opportunity, especially for kids, to be introduced to the court system,” Lewis said. “Oftentimes, the first time we see a child is when they are in the middle of some kind of conflict between the parents or something like that. We wanted them to know that when they come into this courtroom that this courtroom is here for them. They are going to be safe, and we are going to do our best to look out for them.”
Gold E. Locks was on trial in the Chilton County Courthouse as a jury of students listened to the prosecutors and defense attorney lay out their case. Chilton County High School drama students added flair to the parts as they brought witnesses before the jury. During the mock trial for second-grade students from all the K-12 schools, CCHS students Tony To and Tanna Curtis were the prosecution, and Elle Robinson and Morgan Fowler were the defense. To and Curtis were trying to convince the jury that Locks had stolen Babe E. Bear’s porridge, while Robinson and Fowler contended that it was just a misunderstanding.
The jury declared Locks guilty, and she ran from the room with the three bears chasing after her.
CCHS student Tanner Staggs also volunteered rotating out with the other students.
Three presentations were given one to the second-grade students from all the K-12 schools, one for Clanton and one for Jemison.
In each case, school teachers and administrators played the parts of Gold E. Locks and the three bears.
Lewis said the scenario gives students a “laid-back introduction” to the court system.
Students also had an opportunity to meet first responders and see their vehicles after the mock trial.
“We wanted to make sure that all the entities that dealt with children were involved in it,” Lewis said. “That’s why we have the first-responders, agencies like the DA’s Office, Butterfly Bridge (Children’s Advocacy Center) and DHR.”
Lewis said the program is one he began in Elmore County a few years ago. This was the first year it was offered in Chilton County, but Lewis said the plan is to have it be an annual event.
“The Board of Education has been great,” Lewis said. “Superintendent (Jason) Griffin has been great in letting us do this.”
