PHOTO #1: Municipal Court Judge Vanessa Heinold instructs an eighth-grade class at Nazareth Academy in preparation for a mock trial that will be held March 4. Photo contributed by Nazareth Academy.
PHOTO #2: Victoria Police Department Sr. Police Officer Lee Peters and Detective Emily Erickson watch as a student attempts to complete a field sobriety test at Nazareth Academy during an exercise conducted in preparation for a mock trial that will be held March 4. Photo contributed by Nazareth Academy.
The City of Victoria Municipal Court will host two mock trials featuring eighth-grade students from Nazareth Academy starting at 9 a.m. March 4 in the municipal courtroom at 107 W. Juan Linn St.
The mock trial is open to the public, and each trial is expected to last about an hour. 
Each trial is based on a fictional case of a driver suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. This mock trial is part of a greater effort to educate the community about traffic safety issues.
“It has been incredible working with these bright and talented students and teaching them the skills that they need for a courtroom setting,” said Municipal Court Judge Vanessa Heinold. “I think it is so important to teach these soon-to-be drivers about the real world dangers of impaired driving. I want to encourage the community to join us for the mock trial to see first-hand the new courtroom skills the students have mastered.”
In preparation for the trial, Heinold has been visiting the class twice a week since January, teaching the students about court proceedings and helping them develop statements and examination questions to use during the trial.
Victoria Police Department Detective Emily Erickson and Sr. Police Officer Lee Peters also visited the class to talk about the dangers of impaired driving.
The visiting police officers explained how they investigate DUI cases and conducted standardized field sobriety tests using impairment goggles. The students observed how the goggles affected their ability to perform “divided attention” tasks that require both physical and mental engagement.
To learn more about Municipal Court programs, visit www.victoriatx.gov/municipalcourt. To partner with the court for an educational event, visit www.victoriatx.gov/courtoutreach.