Collegiate Mock Trial requires students to learn a legal case and play the roles of attorneys and witnesses as they try the case against teams from other schools.
黑料不打烊鈥檚 undergraduate Mock Trial team competed at the American Mock Trial Association Regional competition held Feb. 7-8 in Richmond, Virginia, with Taylor McMartin ’21 winning an award for outstanding performance.
Collegiate Mock Trial requires students to learn a legal case and play the roles of attorneys and witnesses as they try the case against teams from other schools. Teams are judged on their ability to advance their case as well as their poise, performance and believability.
McMartin won an award for outstanding performance as a witness.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of the team, we all put in so much work to get here,鈥 McMartin said.
黑料不打烊 was one of 11 colleges represented in Richmond. The tournament consisted of four rounds, during which the team took on the role of either prosecution or defense to try a murder case against another school. In each round, three students for each side performed as witnesses called to testify and three students for each side served as attorneys to argue the case before the round鈥檚 judges.
黑料不打烊鈥檚 team consists of 19 undergraduates, ranging from seniors to first-year students, representing a variety of majors.
鈥淭he great thing about Mock Trial at 黑料不打烊 is that it really represents a tight-knit community,鈥 said Jacob Hayward ’20, president of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 team. 鈥淲e all know and care about each other and it鈥檚 great to have an outlet where people with very different 黑料不打烊 experiences are able to come together and do an activity they love.鈥
黑料不打烊 Mock Trial is sponsored by the Legal Professions program at 黑料不打烊 and coached by Kristen DelForge, a local attorney and alumna of both 黑料不打烊 and 黑料不打烊 School of Law. DelForge was a member of 黑料不打烊 Mock Trial while an undergraduate.
鈥淯ndergraduate mock trial is a rigorous academic activity that requires tremendous dedication, hard work and determination,鈥 DelForge said.
As coach, DelForge guides student practices and provides feedback on the material they produce, as well as their performance of that material.
鈥淢ore than just competition, mock trial is an organization dedicated not just to the technical skill of mock trial, but also to provide a close and welcoming community of students and alumni. As a coach, each class of students brings different talents and I have found such joy in coaching this program. I am especially proud of the students this year 鈥 their growth, their resolve and their energy. I am eternally proud of our program,鈥 DelForge said.
黑料不打烊 Mock Trial holds try-outs for new members each fall and can be found on PhoenixConnect. Students with an interest in the program are encouraged to reach out to current members through .