Aiza Syed, Mock Trial member and senior, directs a witness during an afternoon practice at the Carmel Clay Public Library. “We will practice every day after school this week,” Syed said.

The Mock Trial team will compete on March 9 and March 10 in the Indiana Bar Foundation’s Mock Trial State Finals, which will take place at the Indianapolis City-County Building, according to Robert Browning, Mock Trial coach and business teacher. The team kicked off the statewide season strongly with a first place championship win at the Regional tournament last month. This will be all Indiana Mock Trial teams’ last competition within the state; the next formal competition will be the National High School Mock Trial Championship hosted in Athens, GA, according to the foundation website

Now, said Aiza Syed, plaintiff attorney and senior, the team is practicing diligently every day the week leading up to State Finals. Some aspects they are focusing on are building character personalities of the witnesses and refining attorney questions. During the Monday afternoon practice, Syed said she worked with plaintiff and defense witnesses that she was responsible for.