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  • Press Release
    March 13, 2000

    News Release March 2000: Rhinelander Wins Mock Trial Tournament

    For Immediate Release
      CONTACT: Dee Runaas
    Law-Related Education Coordinator
    (608) 250-6191
    *

    Rhinelander wins mock trial tournament

    Mar. 13, 2000 - Rhinelander High School has won the State Bar's Mock Trial Tournament, beating students from Superior in a trial judged by six Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices. This is Rhinelander's ninth state title since 1983, when the State Bar began sponsoring the tournament. The students will travel to South Carolina in May to compete in the national mock trial tournament. Rhinelander is the only Wisconsin team to have ever placed first in the nationals.

    Other teams

    Overall, 170 teams participated in the mock trial tournament. In February, 16 teams advanced from regional competitions to the state tournament. The following teams finished behind Rhinelander and Superior:

    3rd - Marquette University
    4th - Sheboygan South
    5th - Sturgeon Bay
    6th - Boscobel
    7th - Madison West
    8th - Marshfield
    9th - Xavier
    10th - Regis
    11th - Beaver Dam
    12th - Prairie School
    13th - Mukwonago
    14th - Ashwaubenon
    15th - Oregon
    16th - Lincoln

    Journalism component grows in popularity

    Thirty-five students also competed in the journalism component of the mock trial tournament, which involved writing hard news and opinion articles after observing a trial. Jonas Lader, of Hartford High School, won the hard news category, with Rachel Feist, of Barneveld, coming in second. Christopher Shackett, of Barneveld, won the opinion category, with Greg Phillips, of Cedarburg, coming in second.

    Judges of the journalism contest included lawyers who were formerly journalists, journalists from the newspaper and radio markets, and several mass communication university professors.

    The Case

    The fictional case in this year's tournament, In the Matter of Shelby Withers v. Clearwater School District, dealt with what, if anything, should be done with a student whose disability may have manifested itself in the form of behavior that is arguably dangerous to others. Amendments to the Individuals with Disability Education Act, which establish procedures for schools to follow, were relevant to the case.



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