Motion To Reopen: Mock Trial Returns To Neligh-Oakdale

For 14 years, Neligh-Oakdale’s mock trial team dominated competition, qualifying and placing in state for many years. The Warriors even made it to nationals in 1990.

The mock trial team started in 1985 and was discontinued after 1999. However, the slumber is over as Neligh-Oakdale awakens its forces to compete in the 2018-19 school year.

Former Norfolk Catholic High School mock trial team coach Celia VanFleet will take the lead as Neligh-Oakdale’s new coach. VanFleet will also teach English, as she and current Neligh-Oakdale English teacher Rebecca Koopman trade places next year. Koopman will teach English at Norfolk Catholic.

While at Norfolk Catholic, VanFleet taught for 10 years and coached the mock trial team for three years. In those three years, the team did not qualify for state, but it won half of its matches, VanFleet said.

VanFleet graduated from Mercy High School in 1998, where she participated in mock trial and gained valuable experience.
In addition to helping students practice critical thinking and building arguments, VanFleet aspires to help them gain better courtroom knowledge.

“I think ultimately, it’s about getting a good understanding of courtroom procedures,” VanFleet said. “Learning the ins and outs of court cases is my goal.”

Assisting her will be Neligh attorney Jeffrey Doerr, who was Neligh-Oakdale’s attorney coach for all 14 years. According to Doerr, his partner, Marty Klein, also will likely help.

During his time coaching, Doerr said Neligh-Oakdale made itself into a true state mock trial power from 1987 on.

“Out of the 14 years, we went to state nine years. We got third three times, runner up in 1989 and mock trial champion in 1990, in which the team also went to nationals in New Orleans,” Doerr said.

Throughout this time period, Neligh-Oakdale students on the mock trial team achieved greater success and became lawyers, including at least four students who were on the 1990 state championship team, according to Doerr.

“My closer was Nathan Meisgeier. Nathan went to Harvard for law school, which is as high as it gets, and graduated from there,” Doerr 
said. “His brother, Chad, graduated from UNL; he was a lawyer.”

Other N-O students whom Doerr recalled included Lynelle Homolka, who is the county attorney in Merrick County, and Dave Wanek, who is a lawyer in California.

According to Doerr, there has been an increase in mock trial teams and fewer rule leeways, such as abilities to create facts and dress to the part. Even with these changes, Doerr said mock trial reaps many benefits for students through building self-confidence, character and public speaking.

“Mock trial is truly one of the best high school activities a person could get into,” Doerr said. “Because what I always used to tell the kids, whether they were lawyers or witnesses, 99 percent of the adult population walking around wouldn’t dare have the courage to get up in front of real lawyers and real judges and perform.”

In addition to providing a good learning experience for the students, Doerr and VanFleet both said they hope to help Neligh-Oakdale’s students excel.

​“Maybe within the next few years, we can build a team that’s strong enough to advance to semifinals,” VanFleet said.