Goldilocks on trial: Mock proceeding teaches Lincoln students about legal process

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincoln elementary school students brought Goldilocks to trial Tuesday for breaking into the three bears’ home.

University of Nebraska law students demonstrated the legal process as fifth graders at Arnold Elementary School conducted Goldilocks’ mock trial.

Goldilocks was found guilty for her crimes by Arnold Elementary students, despite a differing opinion from her defense attorney.

“I think that she should have not have been guilty, but it was really fun doing the objections and stuff,” said Kyliegh Toby, Goldilocks’ defense attorney.

Prosecutor Stanley Wicks was satisfied with the jury’s ruling.

“I felt like Goldilocks was in the wrong for going into the bears’ house,” he said.

Over the course of two days, students learned about the judicial branch and court trials.

The trial was in collaboration with the Nebraska College of Law’s Community Legal Education Project.

Heather Haratsis, a law student at Nebraska, said the fifth graders did “really good” in the mock trial.

“They were objecting and asking interesting questions about the way the trial works, and when they were reflecting, they seemed to have a really good understanding,” she said.