MONTICELLO – On Law Day, Wednesday, May 1, several dozen students from Sullivan County schools, as well as Pine Bush Central School District and Sullivan County BOCES, took part in a mock trial at the Sullivan County Courthouse, as part of their various government and economic course studies. 

The theme of Law Day was “Voices of Democracy” as the students got in-person experience sitting in the juror’s box with local judges and prosecutors leading the mock trial. 

The annual event is put on by the American Bar Association and has allowed a young jury of peers to see the courtroom in action for the past 13 years. 

Commissioner of Jurors Deanna Armbrust-Cruz explained to the students a jury summons and jury service. President of the Sullivan County Bar Association, William Chellis, Esq. welcomed the students to the courthouse. 

“It is a great honor for me to be here this morning to introduce you to our justice system and our spirit of democracy,” said Chellis. “You are going to witness the nuts and bolts of a civil trial, and we want you to go home with a renewed sense of the heritage we have in our American democratic institutions.”

Before proceeding with the trial, the Honorable Jacqueline Ricciani, Sullivan County Family Court Judge, explained the differences between criminal and civil trials. 

A number of local judges and prosecutors acted the various parts in a courtroom setting, with Sullivan County Family Court Judge, the Honorable Danielle Jose-Decker presiding. 

Judge Jose-Decker explained the preliminary instructions before the mock trial began. Then at the end of the mock trial, she explained jury charges and deliberations. 

The mock trial that the students weighed in on, with 20 of them being selected to act as jurors, was titled Jayden Thompson v. Jamie Sullivan. Jamie Sullivan, the defendant in the case, was portrayed by Andrew Lessig, Esq. with Ryan Walker, Esq. acting as the defense attorney. Jayden Thompson was the plaintiff in the case and was acted by Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Danielle Blackaby with Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Meagan Galligan portraying the plaintiff’s attorney. 

Following the mock trial, which offered realistic situations similar to a civil trial, a question-and-answer session was opened up which allowed students to ask questions based on the case as well as any other questions they had regarding similar situations.