Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Mock Trial team went to Florida State University to compete in the AMTA Mock Trial competition. This team is created by students, for students, with some advising and guidance provided by faculty and community members along the way. This was the first time ABAC competed in a Mock Trial competition, and the team held their own!
Preparation for this competition was key, and a considerable amount of time went into preparing for this competition, beginning in the fall semester, and scouring through materials for months on end. One huge part of the preparation, as Captain Brittney Denton points out is “Picking witnesses that we wanted to call forward, and working ahead to prep direct examination and cross examination questions for those witnesses was vital.” Witnesses play a huge role in how the team is scored overall, so ensuring that witnesses are prepared to the best of their abilities is essential to the performance of the team overall.
After coming back from the break, the grind did not stop for our Mock Trial team. As Kelsey Murray says, “Preparing questions and witnesses over several weeks was both challenging and exciting, giving me valuable insight into my potential career.” Competition is only weeks away at this point, and the emphasis in practice shifted. “More to how to ask questions confidently in a courtroom, respond to objections, and spot our own objections. The Spring was a lot more of us putting ourselves in the mindset as if we were in the courtroom of the actual competition, asking our witnesses questions and cross-examining the other side’s witnesses” says Brittney Denton.
And finally, the competition itself is here! All of the hard work the team has done leads up to this moment; and as Kelsey Murray put it, “The competition was stressful yet exhilirating, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.” The competition experience was extremely educational for the team overall, with a lot of valuable feedback from judges, fellow teams, and competition directors. Advisor Joseph Devaney says “I’m incredibly proud of ABAC’s Mock Trial team for their dedication and perseverance. Since the beginning of the fall semester, they have committed themselves to mastering trial procedures, the rules of evidence, and principles of criminal law, putting in hard work every step of the way. Their preparation, focus, and teamwork were evident throughout the competition.”
The competition experience was extremely beneficial to anyone interested in law, with Senior Lionela Gutierrez Nava reflecting, “I am a little sad that I will be graduating without the chance to actually learn from my errors, but I cannot wait to see what the future brings to those interested in law. This is an experience you would never get unless you get involved.” The Mock Trial team will be putting on a campus event, showcasing the hard work and dedication put into the competition materials for ABAC’s campus. Be on the lookout for that event!