March 5, 2018
Mock trial team earns a bid to Opening Round Championship Series in Memphis
Submitted by Daralyn Gordon Arata
The K-State varsity mock team finished with five wins at the annual American Mock Trial Association Regionals tournament in Topeka, hosted by Washburn Law School, winning a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series in Memphis, Tennessee, at the end of March.
Two teams from the K-State Mock Trial Club traveled to compete in regionals. Both teams faced tough competition for their third tournament of the season. Other schools that competed were, among others, Creighton University, Rhodes College, South Dakota University, University of Iowa and University of Kansas.
"I am beyond proud of the team and all of the hard work they've put in throughout the season," said Dakota Baccus, president and senior in political science. "Thank you so much to the Office of Pre-Law Advising and the communication studies department for all they do for the team."
The regionals tournament consisted of four individual trials, each lasting approximately three hours. All teams competed using a case file released by the American Mock Trial Association in August 2017 and updated in January. Each year, the new case files contain stipulations, jury instructions, relevant law, affidavits, depositions and a plethora of evidence. Students compete throughout the tournament as attorneys and witnesses to defend their position in front of actual judges. Teams perform as both prosecution and defense.
The next competition the team will attend is the Opening Round Championship Series March 23-25 hosted by Rhodes College. If the teams place at the tournament, they will qualify to the National Championship Tournament the weekend of April 20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Formed in 2009, K-State's Mock Trial Club is an academic competition team that competes in simulated trials in a real courtroom setting. Meeting at 7:30 p.m. every Monday and Thursday in 311 Nichols Hall, the club is led by Kansas City attorneys Benjamin Long, K-State alumnus, and Mark Brinkworth and Baccus. Mock Trial Club provides students with opportunities to enhance their critical thinking, speaking, listening and writing skills as well as their professionalism — all necessary in a legal career or any profession. Mock trial extends its thanks to its steadfast sponsors: K-State's Office of Pre-Law Advising and the communication studies department.
Students interested in mock trial can contact Baccus at 785-392-0081 or dakota10@k-state.edu. Mock Trial Club also can be reached through its official Facebook page, KSU Mock Trial.