It wasn’t exactly the trial of the century. In fact, the case of the State vs. Goldilocks happens just about every year at the Ojai Valley School Upper Campus.
But for Laurel Colborn’s Law and Society class, it is one of the most important legal exercises of the school year.
The opening trial sets a foundation for students to start learning courtroom practices and decorum that they will use throughout their study of Law and Society, a second semester class that introduces students to the American legal system through interactive methods such as case studies and courtroom-style debates.
The course ends in the final week of the school year with a full-blown mock trial presided over by a retired Ventura County Superior Court judge.
“I have served on the jury for the Goldilocks case for many, many years and I am always amazed to see how much progress these students make between this first case and their final exam, which is the mock trial,” said OVS college counselor Fred Alvarez, adding that Goldilocks was cleared of all charges against her.
“This is such a special class and special program,” Mr. Alvarez added. “We are very lucky to have it.”
Ojai Valley School’s Law and Society class originated thirteen years ago when former lawyer, Mrs. Colborn, advocated for a course that could harness and spread the knowledge from her previous career.
“I was looking around, and I had seen that different counties in the state of California—and actually nationally—have mock trial programs,” said Mrs. Colborn, a former prosecutor and civil litigator who learned her law degree from the Southwestern University School of Law.
“I wanted to create a law class where I could teach students survey law, like they could learn about criminal law and civil law, and they could see how topics like housing and contract law could be applicable to them down the road,” Mrs. Colborn added. “I also wanted it to have a mock trial component. o I went to the former head of campus, Mr. Cooper, and I said, ‘Hey, I’d like to create a law class.’ And he said, ‘Go for it!’”
The State vs Goldilocks trial is the first mock trial held throughout the curriculum. Students are assigned to one of two teams—prosecution or defense—and designated as an attorney or a witness. While the “fairy tale” aspect of the case may seem light-hearted, the trial encapsulates the fundamentals of the American legal system.
OVS senior Vincent Bell—who served as a defendant—found the trial an immersive experience that amplified his intrigue in the realm of law.
“I find the rules surrounding the legal process to be interesting,” Vince said. “For example, evidence that can 100% incriminate your client can—in some cases—be expunged from the evidence, making it much harder for the prosecution to convict them. There are many legal “loopholes” like this that I find interesting to learn about, both in terms of how they came about and how they’re used currently.”\
Similarly, for Ojai Valley School senior Josie Williams—who served as a witness—the Law and Society class further strengthened her passion for political science, solidifying her pursuit of a political science major.
“When applying to colleges, I wasn’t very sure about what I wanted to major in. Political Science seemed like a good fit because I love discussing politics, and there is a wide variety of opportunities I could pursue with that degree,” Josie said. “In taking the government/law class, it made me realize that majoring in political science was the right choice because I now definitely have an interest in becoming a lawyer.”
Ojai Valley School’s Law and Society class serves to prepare students with a variety of skills and knowledge to be utilized in a variety of contexts.
Whether it is the drastic shift of American laws at adulthood, the fundamentals of pursuing a degree in law, or even mere argumentative skills, the course teaches values applicable to every student—regardless of their intended major or career.
“I feel it’s really valuable to have a basic understanding of how laws apply to students, especially because it’s taught to seniors,” Mrs. Colborn said. “The law treats juveniles, people 17 and under, very differently than it treats people who are 18 or older. So often, I think it was important to teach students about that, about those laws, about consequences for breaking laws, about just having an overall understanding,”
Mr. Alvarez also serves on the jury for the final mock trial, and looking ahead he is excited about this year’s case will bring.
“By the time that final mock trial rolls around, these students are well practiced and know how to argue very well in a court of law,” Mr. Alvarez said. “I look forward to hearing what they have to say this year.”