Area High Schools participate in ONU Street Law competition

Students from four area high schools will compete in the annual Street Law Competition at Ohio Northern University College of Law beginning at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 1. Students from Ottawa-Glandorf, Lima Christian Academy, Kenton , and Ada will serve as lawyers and witnesses for a mock criminal case. The event is free and open to the public.

The Street Law program is in its 18th year at Ohio Northern. ONU law students have been visiting local area high schools on a weekly basis since January to teach the high school students the fundamentals of participating in a mock trial. The high school students learned general aspects of the law, the basic structure of a trial, and the role of an attorney within the trial. During the mock trial, they will be judged on their opening statements, closing statements, direct examination, cross examination and overall professionalism.

"This program offers the opportunity for law students to share their knowledge with high school students and to spark an interest in judicial procedures," said ONU law student Mike Meehan of Greenwood, IN.

Street Law is an organization that began in 1972 when a group of law students from Georgetown University took an experimental, one semester course to teach law to high school students in the District of Columbia. Since then, Street Law has developed into a national organization that is geared to educate high school students in law and the rights that people have regardless of their race, religion, sex, or financial status.

More than 40 ONU law students and 110 high school students participated in this year's program with Ohio Northern.

Published: Mon, 03/26/2007 - 3:44pm