Photo by Glen Carstens-Peters on Unsplash.
As the trial quickly approaches, Science Court spent the week listening to practice testimonies from the science team, who have become Science Court's experts on their respective domains after weeks of research. The legal team was also able to practice asking questions of the science team to get a feel for the trial format.
The trial will feature opening statements by the legal pro and con teams, followed by presentations from each science team member on their areas of research. After each presentation, each legal team will be able to ask questions of the science team as well as deliver a short statement relevant to that subject of research.
Students from both the legal and science teams are excited to put the knowledge and skills they have built into action in front of the jury and public audience at the April 24 trial. However, there are nerves at play, too. David Ashley, a member of the science team focusing on sociology and political science, said he is nervous but expects the trial to be both informative and entertaining.
Arunn Suntharalingam, a member of the legal pro team, is nervous as well, but he said he knows he’s put in a lot of work and will be prepared at the trial. He said he's confident that the argument for mandatory service is strong because it might be better positioned to reduce polarization since it would capture the most people. Regardless of the verdict, Suntharalingam said Science Court has been a worthwhile experience.
“You just get exposed to new ideas that you wouldn’t have anticipated,” he said. “It also kind of shows you how to synthesize [information] in a meaningful way to make the science result in something positive.”
Stay tuned to our social media and podcast feeds in the final week before trial to stay on top of all things Science Court and look for a link to watch the trial live.
You can also provide your feedback on the case here. Check out the newest podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @scicourt.