On May 2 the Rutland County Bar Association and the Rutland Unit of the Vermont Superior Court continued their long-standing tradition of presenting a “Law Day Mock Trial” to Rutland County area 5th grade classes at the Rutland County Courthouse. This year’s theme was based on “Barbie – the Movie”. In the case “Barbie v. Ken”, Barbie sued Ken for trespass and damages during his and the other Kens stay at Barbie’s Dream House while she toured the real world.
Judge Susan McManus, presently sitting in the Rutland Family Division, presided over the case featuring “Barbie” played by Rutland Public Defender Zanna Bliss represented by Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan, “Ken” played by Attorney Nik Houghton represented by Judge Alexander Burke, presently sitting in the Rutland Civil Division, “President Barbie” played by Attorney Phillisa Jones Prescott, “Gloria” played by Attorney Toni Dutil, and “Weird Barbie” played by Rutland Deputy State’s Attorney Daron Raleigh. Rutland Probate Judge Karl Anderson wrote the screenplay, State Court Administrator Teri Corsones organized behind the scenes and served as bailiff and Judge Cort Corsones, presently sitting in the Rutland Criminal Division, assembled Barbie’s Dream House (Exhibit A) at the courthouse the night before. A cast photo and scenes from the mock trial are below.
More than 200 students participated either in-person or remotely at the morning and afternoon performances. Chief Justice Paul Reiber, the current RCBA President, welcomed the students to each performance. From the students present in-person, jurors were randomly selected to hear the case. While the jurors deliberated in the jury room the other students had the chance to ask questions of the cast and crew in the courtroom. The students were provided a program featuring a schematic of the courtroom and a glossary of legal terms. Both juries found that Barbie had proven trespass against Ken. The morning jury found him liable for $15,000 in damages but the afternoon jury found that instead of paying damages Ken was required to restore the Dream House to its original condition using his own labor.
The participating schools included Christ the King School, Fair Haven Grade School, Killington Elementary School, Poultney Elementary School, Proctor Elementary School, Rutland Intermediate School, Rutland Town School and the Tinmouth Mountain School.
Learn more about the history of Law Day and past themes at the ABA website, here. The ABA has a theme every year for Law Day and makes materials available for lawyers and educators to use in their home communities. However, as Rutland County and others have demonstrated, there’s plenty of scope to be creative with Law Day, and any day can be Law Day.
Did you or your county bar association sponsor a Law Day event or engage in other community outreach recently? Send us some photos and give us the who, what, when, where and why and we will spread the word. Your event may inspire others to reach out in their own communities.
If you are planning a law-related event with Vermont school students and would like pocket constitutions or, “On Your Own” booklets (for high school students) contact the VBA at info@vtbar.org and we will get them out to you.
Written by Teri Corsones and Kim Velk. Photos courtesy of Teri.