Shaler Area High School students had the opportunity to experience the local judicial system first hand in a Mock Trial program hosted by AAA East Central, Allegheny PreTrial Services, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Shaler Police Department.
Students were issued “citations,” appeared in a real courtroom, and given the chance to plead their cases before the Honorable Daniel Konieczka, magisterial district judge. The Mock Trial gave students the opportunity to see the consequences for major citations and how serious infractions can be as well as insight on how to act in front of a judge.
Some of the citations the students contested included:
- Texting while driving
- Speeding
- Underage drinking
- Passing a school bus
- Failure to wear seatbelt
Judge Konieczka and School Resource Officer Frank Spiker spent additional time with the students to explain the court process and detailed the mock trial cases they experienced that day.