The court case, first-degree arson.

The setting, Carbon County Courthouse.The players, Palmerton Area High School's mock trial team.On Monday, the Carbon County Bar Association's young lawyers division held its annual Law Day program, a day started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 to celebrate and enjoy America's freedoms and show the importance of wise decision making in the court system.Students from various high schools, including Marian Catholic, Mahanoy Area, Lehighton, Weatherly, Carbon Career & Technical Institute, Jim Thorpe and Palmerton attended the program that showed students just how the court system works.More than 200 students filled the courtroom on Monday."We do this every year with those who are interested in mock trial teams, which are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association," said attorney Adam Weaver, chairman of the young lawyers division."The students get to see firsthand, what a trial is like. It's a very learning experience to get out there and see what the action is."It's a great program," he said, adding that any school who would like to start a mock trial team could contact the bar association.The program began with brief description of what the court system does, followed by a question-and-answer session with county President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II and Judges Steven R. Serfass and Joseph J. Matika.The students from Palmerton's mock trial team them took part in a trial.The case was against Taylor Edsel, a known arsonist who had gone through rehabilitation, who was charged with first degree arson at her place of employment.The students portrayed attorneys for both the prosecution and defense, as well as witnesses for both sides in the case.Twelve additional students from the participating schools also were selected as jurors to hear the case and determine Edsel's guilt or innocence.Presiding over the trial were district judges Eric Schrantz, Casimir Kosciolek and William Kissner.In the end, the jury determined that based on the evidence presented, Edsel was not guilty of the crime.Following the trial, certificates were presented to the members of the Palmerton Mock Trial Team, which includes: Lauren Fegley, Jake Taylor, Jon Blihar, Jake Martinez, Shelby Brazzes, Hanna Nesfeder, Kory Kratzer, Katie Steigerwalt, Ben Serfass, Erica Messics and Jacob Kunda.