Mock Trial Team competes in St. Louis

MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University’s Mock Trial Team recently competed at the American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University of St. Louis on Feb. 28 -March 1. 

The American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) was founded in 1985 by Dean Richard Calkins of Drake Law School. AMTA serves as the governing body for intercollegiate mock trial competition. Through engaging in trial simulations in competition with teams from other institutions, students develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as a knowledge of legal practices and procedures. AMTA sponsors regional and national-level competitions, as well as providing interesting and complex case materials for academic use.

"Mock Trial is an invaluable organization for our students, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn trial procedures and serving as a window into the legal profession,” said Dr. Marc Polizzi, interim chair of the Department of Political Science and Sociology at Murray State. “For students pursuing law school and a legal career, it provides hands-on experience. More broadly, it helps students to conduct themselves professionally and with confidence."

Other university teams at the St. Louis regional tournament included Washington University (St. Louis), University of Missouri, University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Nebraska, St. Louis University, University of Kansas and the University of Southern Indiana.

"I couldn't be more thrilled with the way our Racers performed in St. Louis,” said Dr. Martin Armstrong, assistant professor of political science at Murray State and faculty sponsor of the Mock Trial team. “They went toe-to-toe with some of the most formidable programs in the Midwest and held their own with remarkable sophistication, earning a victory over the team from the University of Southern Indiana as defense counsel.”

“The Racer community can take pride in the poise and professional excellence our team brought to the courtroom. Moreover, I remain awestruck by how well the team handled and learned this year's 251-page mountain of a criminal case over the course of five months. It was a true show of teamwork, dedication and legal rigor." 

Members of the Mock Trial team include Cora Bell, a sophomore political science/legal studies major and gender & diversity studies minor from Loogoottee, Indiana; Lance Breckel, a sophomore political science/legal studies major from Cadiz, Kentucky;  A'mareese Esters, a junior sociology/social inequality & human rights major and legal studies minor from Hickman, Kentucky; Haylee Couch, a junior political science/legal studies major and business administration minor from Evarts, Kentucky; Josselyn Hernandez, a junior political science/legal studies major from Huntingdon, Tennessee; Pearl Lawson, a sophomore creative writing major from Nicholasville, Kentucky; Claire McCormick, a sophomore literature major and legal studies minor from Shumway, Illinois ; Zhou Merchant, a senior music business major and graphic design minor from Bagdad, Kentucky; and Aiden Wild, a junior economics major and legal studies minor from Almo, Kentucky. 

For more information about Mock Trial, visit collegemocktrial.org. For more information about Murray State’s Mock Trial team, visit murraystate.edu/politicalscienceandsociology or call the Department of Political Science and Sociology at (270) 809-2661.