For the Star Journal

The Rhinelander High School Mock Trial team participated in the Wausau Regional Tournament sponsored by the Wisconsin State Bar Association Feb. 8 and 9. Upon winning all four rounds, the team walked away as the regional champions for the second year in a row.

Rhinelander was one of eight teams that competed in the regional tournament, which transitioned to a virtual Zoom last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mock trial program provides high school students with an opportunity to act as attorneys and witnesses in a fictional court case developed by the State Bar of Wisconsin. This year, the students were presented with a civil case involving a claim made by a college student under Title I of the American with Disabilities Act alleging unlawful termination by her former employer because she suffered from diabetes.

The mock trial team is coached by Ali Francois, a local attorney. Francois was assisted this year by Brynlei Kuhn, a former RHS mock trial member and a current freshman at Nicolet College. The team is led by its captains, Reagan Hartman and Ben Balge, both RHS seniors. The team will proceed to the State Competition March 5 and 6, which will also be held via the Zoom platform.