CRIMSA Criminal Law Mock Trial: event re-cap

March 7, 2025 by Patricia Doherty

The final rounds of CRIMSA's Criminal Law Mock Trial were held on Friday, February 14, 2025 at Hart House Music Room.

CRIMSA provided the following details:

  • The case was R. v. Alex Ramirez, a fictional fraud under $5,000 trial.
  • The verdict was not guilty.
  • The prosecution team (Team 2) received the highest scores from the judges. 
    • Team 2 was awarded the gold medal.
    • Team 4 was awarded the silver medal.
  • Two judges, both retired lawyers, provided valuable feedback for both teams.

CRIMSA Executive team members and volunteer judges at Mock Trial, February 14, 2025 (Photo supplied)
CRIMSA Executive team members and volunteer judges at Mock Trial, Hart House, February 14, 2025. L-R: Olivia Florovski, CRIMSA First year rep; Beatrice Timbol, CRIMSA social events co-director; Karen Wold, Mock Trial judge; Tom Melville, Mock Trial judge; Breanna Lachmanen, CRIMSA Treasurer; Charley McNeil, CRIMSA President; Juria Katakawa, CRIMSA social events co-director. (Photo supplied by CRIMSA)

Awards

Gold Medal

  • Team 2: Sadiah Bemat, Ciara Drummond, Adaor Olisa, Karan Peters, Ace Plantas, Sonak Saha, Sunny Sien, Shiven Srivastava.

Silver Medal

  • Team 4:  Manit Butalia, Desiree Dashtban, Xiwen Dong, Advaith Gopaljee, Mitra Hajibabaei, Samia Islam, Aarsha Nair, Attaur Rahman and Iman Shirin.

Best Overall Team 

  • Team 4: Manit Butalia, Desiree Dashtban, Xiwen Dong, Advaith Gopaljee, Mitra Hajibabaei, Samia Islam, Aarsha Nair, Attaur Rahman and Iman Shirin.

Best Lawyer (Prosecution)

  • Anushka Singh (Team 1)

Best Lawyer (Defence)

  • Aarsha Nair (Team 4)

Best Witness

  • Ji In Lam (Team 5)

Best Cross-Examination 

  • Desiree Dashtban (Team 4)

Spirt of Mock Trial

  • Fiyonee Bhanushali (Team 5)

Most Creative Argument 

  • Shiven Srivastava (Team 2)

Most in Character 

  • Allyson Hernandez Carrillo (Team 5)

Judges' comments

Overall, the participating students' level of preparation, enthusiasm and respect for the legal process were high points for me.

The case was alleged fraud which can be difficult to characterize fairly and accurately.  Accordingly, one thing that stood out was the clear summations of fact and position at the conclusion of the moot.

- Tom Melville, retired from the practise of law after three-plus decades.

 

 

I was impressed by the level of preparation and the earnest energy shown at this moot.

It's important for us to give back to the future justice system by assisting at these events. People did it for us and this is a way for us to pay it forward.

- Karen Wold, retired from the practise of law after three-plus decades.

See also: Recap: CRIMSA Criminal Law Mock Trial first rounds

About CRIMSA

The Criminology & Sociolegal Studies Students’ Association (CRIMSA) is an organization of undergraduate Criminology & Sociolegal Studies students at the University of Toronto.

CRIMSA aims to bring the Criminology community together and build stronger relationships between students, staff and alumni through social and career seminars, special lectures, interesting excursions and tours.

CRIMSA’s mandate also involves representing Criminology & Sociolegal Studies students’ interests to the university.

CRIMSA is an official member of the Arts & Science Students’ Union (ASSU).

See CRIMSA's Instagram page for their latest news.

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