VISTA — Harry Potter went on trial April 24 for turning Draco Malfoy into a ferret; however, a jury of his peers deadlocked on whether the world’s most popular sorcerer was acting in self-defense.

The mock trial presented by San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber was one of a handful of events held at the Vista Courthouse celebrating Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

More than 30 kids and teens participated in the day of events, which in addition to the mock trial, included workshops with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office. The program is designed to provide an active interaction between the workplace and classroom

Weber said she’s been hosting the “moot” court, a term used in law school referring to simulated court proceedings, for 12 years, and that through the years she’s adjusted the details of the case to keep up with the current trends.

The day serves a dual purpose, Weber said. On one hand, the children get to see the importance of their parents’ jobs and on the other they get an up-close and personal look at the inner workings of a courtroom.

“I think it’s a very valuable day,” Weber said. “I love this day.”

For Weber, this year was even more special since her bailiff, Deputy Chris Mata, and court reporter, Robin Casey, had their children performing their duties during the Potter trial.

Casey said she enjoyed watching the mock trial unfold while her stepdaughter, Alison Casey, 11, had a great time filling her shoes.

Mata said his son, Jasen Mata, 7, had been “amped up” for days for the opportunity to go to work with him. However, it was Mata who said he got butterflies for the first time in years when he addressed the courtroom with his son in attendance.

The younger Mata said the day lived up to his expectations, and that he really enjoyed the mock trial and the K-9 demonstration performed by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

As for his thoughts on the courtroom holding cells with their steel toilets and bleak walls, Jasen said, “I wouldn’t want to live in a place like that.”