Acting as lawyers, witnesses, and jurors, members of the Model Judiciary competed last Wednesday at the Fairfax Circuit Courts. The competition was the second part of a three-part competition.

They competed against Thomas Jefferson, Robinson, Lake Braddock, Paul VI, Lee, Stone Bridge and T.C. Williams. The results from the competition are expected to be announced sometime this week, said club sponsor Robert Plunkett.

Depending on their placement in the competition, the team could qualify for the third round of the competition in Richmond April 7.

“We weren’t as strong as we could’ve been because it’s our first year,” junior Eric Cheung said. “But next year we’ll do some damage.”

The first round of the competition was a mock trial. In the second round, the student lawyers appealed their cases. During the third round, the students must argue the Marbury vs. Madison Supreme Court Case. A Fairfax County Circuit Judge acts as the judge of the cases.

“[Model Judiciary] promotes civic virtue and knowledge of the judicial system,” Plunkett said.

The Model Judiciary team has a relationship with the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop. The firm sends lawyers to work with the group to prepare them for their competition.

“We actually get to work with real lawyers,” Cheung said. “We get to experience what it’s like in a real courthouse, not just a phony classroom.”