COMMACK SCHOOLS

The CHS mock trial team successfully argued its way to a first-round playoff win while arguing a civil case before state district court judge Alonzo G. Jacobs at the John P. Cohalan Jr. Court Complex in Central Islip on Wednesday afternoon.

Facing Central Islip High School, the CHS students were assigned the side of the plaintiff in a fictitious defamation case about a school superintendent whose political aspirations were scuttled when an AI-generated, deep-fake video and audio clip were maliciously shared publicly.

The CHS students now advance to next week’s quarterfinals, which again will be argued before a real-life judge.

Judge Jacobs praised both sides’ arguments after ruling on the case, particularly citing the CHS closing remarks. He then posed for a photo inside his fourth-floor courtroom with the CHS students.