Page 16 - November December CBA Report

th e f o u rth a m e n d m e n t :
Protection from Unreasonable Searches, Seizures,
& Murder?
2026 Ohio Mock Trial Case:
State of Buckeye v. Morgan Remy
By Jacob Harrod By Kathleen Byrne
In the 2026 Ohio Mock Trial compe-
tition, students will explore questions
of privacy, consent, technology, and
justice; arguing both sides of a prelim-
inary hearing that combines forensic
science, emerging technology, and the
Fourth Amendment. In 2000, 24-year-old
Caleb “CJ” Jansen, a warehouse worker,
was found strangled in his apartment.
A violent struggle left DNA under the
victim’s fingernails, but no match was
found, and the case went cold. Twenty-five
years later, high school student Frankie
Moyo uploaded their DNA to a genealogy
site for extra credit and unknowingly trig-
gered a chain of events that lead police
straight to Morgan Remy, a former secu-
rity guard at CJ’s workplace. Not only
is Remy’s DNA a match, but police also
discover CJ’s long-missing gold signet ring
hidden in Remy’s home. Remy’s defense
team filed a motion to suppress the genetic
genealogy evidence, arguing that the
police violated the Fourth Amendment
by using a third party’s DNA without
a warrant. The court must now decide:
Is this powerful new investigative tool a
breakthrough or a constitutional over-
reach? As high school students from the
greater Cincinnati area prepare to argue
this case problem, we need the help of our
amazing CBA colleagues to provide guid-
ance, feedback, and perspective.
We are excited to be hosting this year’s
competition at the Hamilton County
Courthouse. We appreciate all the efforts
that were put in by our legal community
in helping us with last year’s competition.
The Cincinnati Bar Association’s Young
Lawyers Section is looking for more than
60 volunteer lawyers for the 2026 Mock
Trial Competition. Local attorneys give
back to the community by sharing knowl-
edge and enthusiasm for the practice of
law as volunteer judges in the competition.
Whether you are a seasoned volunteer or
have no experience with the Mock Trial
competition, your assistance is critical to
the success of the program.
2026
DISTRICT COMPETITION
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30
morning and afternoon rounds
REGIONAL COMPETITION
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
morning and afternoon rounds
If you are interested in volunteering
as a judge, please contact
Ethan Barnes at the CBA at
ebarnes@cincybar.org.
16 For more than 30 years, this program
has given students a practical introduction
to the justice system, the Constitution,
and the legal process by giving them the
opportunity to participate in mock trials
as either lawyers or witnesses. Over the
course of the simulated trial, students
present opening statements, cross-ex-
amine, are cross-examined, and more.
The Cincinnati Bar Association will,
once again, host the district and regional
competitions for greater Cincinnati. For
THE REPORT | November/December 2025 | CincyBar.org
this to be successful, volunteer attorneys
are vital to preside as judges over both
rounds of competition. During the trial,
judges observe, grade, and provide feed-
back on the performances of the students.
The level of dedication and enthusiasm
from the students is always impressive.
Students truly appreciate the participa-
tion and thoughts of local attorneys. You
can be a part of this exciting opportunity
to impact local high school students.
The program is sponsored locally by
the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Young
Lawyers Section and fully endowed by
the Cincinnati Bar Foundation. More
than 350 students from approximately
22 area high schools participate each
year. As co-chairs of the Young Lawyer
Section’s Mock Trial Committee, Jacob
Harrod (Legal Counsel, Fifth Third Bank)
and Kathleen Byrne (Associate Attorney,
Jacobs Kleinman Seibel & McNally Co.
L.P.A.) encourage each of you to take this
opportunity to be involved and support
local students interested in the practice
of law.
For more information on the 2026
case, please visit the Ohio Center for Law
Related Education’s website at https://
www.oclre.org/aws/OCLRE/pt/sp/hsmt.
If you have enjoyed judging in the past or
wish to become even more engaged with
a high school mock trial team, consider
becoming a legal advisor. Please contact
the Ohio Center for Law Related Education
at 614-485-3507 for more information.
We hope you will join us! – Jacob and
Kat