The Ohio Supreme Court opened its doors over the weekend to finalists in the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) Ohio Mock Trial State Championship.
The competition draws nearly 300 students to Columbus each year, but only two teams make it to the final round at the state’s highest court – Archbishop Hoban High School and Sylvania Southview High School. After presenting their cases before a panel of five judges, Archbishop Hoban was declared the 2025 state champion.
“It's been incredible getting to practice all year to develop your material, figure out your directs, your crosses, and then actually get to stand in the courtroom and see all of your work unfolding right in front of you,” said Gabriele Obhof, a senior at Archbishop Hoban.
All season, hundreds of teams across the state prepared arguments for the same case, Denver Saidi v. Wyatt Latu.
The case examines how the rise of generative artificial intelligence intersects with the First Amendment and defamation, particularly in relation to realistic deepfake technology that misrepresents someone saying or doing something that never happened.
“The use of AI in entertainment, education, and politics is a relatively new concept. As generative AI becomes more prevalent and more convincing, the law will need to evolve to determine how to draw the line between free expression and accountability,” said Jenna Lewis, the OCLRE Mock Trial program coordinator.
According to Caleb Caldwell, OCLRE Communication Coordinator, the High School Mock Trial program takes an innovative approach to teaching students law and the functions of the legal system.
“As a law-related program that services thousands of students from across the state, it is hopeful that Mock Trial participants will be able to improve their critical thinking and public speaking skills, develop an appreciation of the judicial system, and better understand their constitutional rights and responsibilities,” said Caldwell.
While Obhof is still deciding on which college to attend, she knows his experience with mock trial will help in the future as an English major.
“I'm just really grateful for all the experience I've gained in mock trial with rhetoric, speaking skills, and analyzing content,” she said.