Bucks Writs - Spring 2018 - 24

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2018 MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION

The Case of a Drunken Whistleblower
By Jeremy D. Puglia

W

as Silva Morel unlawfully fired for blowing the
whistle on a $5,000,000 bribe? Or was he fired for
disseminating company secrets on his YouTube channel
and getting drunk at a company dinner? This was the
hypothetical civil trial put on by 16 of our local Bucks
County schools during the 2018 Mock Trial Competition.

This year, the final trial was an epic battle between Central
Bucks South High School and Bensalem High School. The
result was a 7-5 Jury Vote in favor of Bensalem, with 5 of
the 12 Jurors scoring the match by a 1-point margin!
I also want to thank the right hands - the extension of
every Judge - their Judicial Assistants. Thank you Katy,
Jessica, Stacy, Aimee, Nina, Sandy, Ann, Beth, Regina, Kate,
Kathy and Karen for your help, and for putting up with all
my emails, phone calls and schedule changes.

Congratulations to all the participating schools,
and to Bensalem for winning our District for a
second year in a row!
Each year the Young Lawyers Division of the BCBA volunteers
its time for this amazing competition. Specifically, the
Chair-Elect of the YLD is named Coordinator of the Bucks
County District. Running the Mock Trial Competition has
been informally dubbed a "rite of passage" for being named
YLD Chair the following year. No work, no play - right?
This year we were able to cobble together 22 trials. That is
22 Judges; 22 sets of Juries; and 22 Bailiffs. What was, and
continues to be, a daunting task, was made so much easier
because of the level of support from the Bench and the Bar.

THE BAR: This year, the Bucks County Bar Association
Attorneys knocked it out of the park. Nearly 150 local
attorneys volunteered their time (some on multiple nights).
I wanted to make this list, not only to commend those who
are on it, but also to use it as a tool for recruiting. Before
the Competition began, Judge Brian T. McGuffin said,
"The Mock Trial Competition is, in my no longer humble
opinion, the most effective community outreach the Bar
Association participates in each year." I could not agree
more. As a Bar Association, we often look for opportunities
to let the community know "WE ARE HERE!" Well, the
Mock Trial Competition is an annual opportunity to show
the community, and these students, that we support them
and that we care.

THE BENCH: I cannot state with enough emphasis how
grateful I am to the following Judges, all of whom
were so gracious (and flexible) with their time during
the Competition:
J. Robert O. Baldi
J. Wallace H. Bateman
J. William J. Benz
J. Daniel Finello
J. Jeffrey L. Finley, P.J.
J. C. Theodore Fritsch, Jr.
J. Lisa Gaier
J. Michael W. Gallagher
J. Gary Gilman

J. Brian T. McGuffin
J. Raymond F. McHugh
J. James M. McMaster
J. Robert J. Mellon
J. Michael W. Petrucci
J. Cynthia M. Rufe
J. John J. Rufe, ret.
J. Jeffrey G. Trauger

Take a look at the list, and talk to your fellow attorneys
that you don't see - coworkers and friends. Ask them to
volunteer next year. Take them out for a drink afterwards.
(How else do you think Litske keeps getting her "All-Star"
Jury to volunteer?) Let's get everyone involved. This is one
community outreach event that we can all get behind!

The "Objection of the Year" took place in a Trial presided over by Judge Baldi:
STUDENT: "Objection, your Honor. This is a narrative answer."
JUDGE BALDI: (Pauses for a moment. A puzzled look overtakes him.)

"I'm sorry. A narrative answer? What sort of answer would you like him to give?"
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Bucks Writs - Spring 2018

Bucks Writs - Spring 2018 - 1
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https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Fall2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Summer2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Spring2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Fall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Summer2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/BucksWritsSpring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Winter2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Fall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Summer2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Spring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Winter2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Fall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Summer2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Spring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Winter2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Summer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/BucksWrits/Spring2017
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com