Mock Trial Tournament Down To Final 4

POTSDAM - St. Lawrence County Mock Trial Tournament's final four is getting under way with Potsdam favored to win a place in the state tournament.

Potsdam advanced to the county semi-finals with a 2-0 record, as the only undefeated team in the county, outscoring their opponents by a combined 15 points.

In round one, while representing the plaintiff, Potsdam defeated Hammond 57 to 47, dropping Hammond's record to 1-1. Hammond earned their first victory, while also representing the plaintiff by defeating Ogdensburg 47 to 43.

Ogdensburg also fell in their second round match-up, while representing the plaintiff to Heuvelton by a score of 40 to 40. Heuvelton, while representing the plaintiff fell in their first round contest to Madrid-Waddington 45 to 41. In the second round, Madrid-Waddington fell victim to Potsdam, losing 63 to 58.

With only one undefeated team, Potsdam earned the tournament's number one seed. They will take on Heuvelton on March 24 in front of St. Lawrence County Court Judge Jerome J. Richards.

The other semi-final match-up will pit Madrid-Waddington against Hammond. That trial will also take place on March 24 in front of either Ogdensburg City Court Judge George Silver or Support Magistrate Sharon Lumb.

Since Potsdam was the lone 2-0 team, the semi-finals other three participants were all determined by using total points as a tie-breaker, making Madrid-Waddington with 103 points the two seed and Hammond with 94 total points the three seed. With 89 points, the four seed is the team from Heuvelton.

This year's case pits the state of New York against Shawn Miller and Sidney Taylor, a pair of business partners, who had allegedly bilked investors out of millions of dollars in a ponzi scheme, similar to that recently operated by the now incarcerated Bernie Madofff.

Each of the semi-final trials will be held at the St. Lawrence County Courthouse at 5:15 p.m. The determination of who will represent the plaintiff and defendant will be determined by a coin toss prior to the start of the trial. Each of the teams who win on March 24 will advance to the county final on March 31 in front of Supreme Court Judge David Demarest. Trials are open to members of the public, however audience members are expected to behave as if they were in an actual courtroom.