Spongebob won’t be going to jail, but he’s not getting off scot-free either.
Students from North Battleford Comprehensive High School and John Paul II Collegiate gathered in courtroom 1 at North Battleford Provincial Court on Friday to argue a mock trial.
The situation involved 12-year-old Spongebob Squarepants (played by Ty Larose) accused of theft of a DVD from Walmart.
Judge Lorna Dyck presided, and Lee Hnatiuk helped the prosecutors and Rob Feist helped the defence.
Janel Night was the judge and Kale Jimmy was the clerk.
Crown lawyers were Ishita Mann, and Dante Bacchetto, while Dayton Gamble, Thomas Ely and Tyler Hunchak represented Spongebob.
Students argued as they would a real trial, with Dyck, Hnatiuk and Feist interrupting occasionally to provide explanations and clarifications.
Spongebob had stolen the DVD, but the sea doesn’t have an equivalent concept of ownership, the defence argued.
Spongebob was found guilty.
“Not knowing the law is no defence.” Night said, although she took mercy.
“Spongebob is young and it wouldn’t be fair to him if he got a criminal record,” Night said.
Other players included Keegan Isaac as Barney the Dinosaur, Sarah Shaban as Ms. Maier, Taegen Isaac as Constable Chen, Adam Letrud as Patrick and Jacob Scott as Plankton.
Witnesses included Constable Chen and Patrick. Plankton was an expert witness, and offered knowledge from academic work, such as “Moist does not mean Immoral: Value Conflicts of Sea Creatures in Canadian Society.”
Some participants could come back next year, JPII teacher Anne Crozier said.
Judge Dyck encouraged education of students and the public.
“The more we can do to help the public understand how the law works,” the better off society will be, Dyck said.
“It’s often when there’s misunderstandings that perhaps bad feelings can arise.”
Dyck invited the public to watch court.
