Students take over courtroom to learn about justice system

Some secondary school students took over the State Courts on July 4, stepping into the shoes of judges, lawyers, witnesses, court officers and interpreters as part of mock trials for a harassment case.

- Emerald Lo

It was not all serious. A "judge" waved playfully from his bench at his classmates in the courtroom, and students cheered as their peers acted out a script based on a harassment case study they had discussed earlier.

The role-play sessions were part of "A Day in Court", an annual programme started in 2014 by the Singapore State Courts to give students insights into Singapore's justice system. As with the previous three years, this year's programme focused on harassment, in the light of harassment and cyber bullying on social media.

In her opening address to about 200 Secondary 3 students from 43 schools, Principal District Judge Thian Yee Sze said she hoped they would learn some of the legal remedies that harassment victims may seek, and practical life skills to handle harassment if they or their loved ones face it.