September 17, 2017 at 4:43 pm

Ohio University Mock Trial Team Selects 30 Students, Expands to 3 Teams

OHIO Mock Trial Team after Columbus Regional. This is a group shot.

OHIO Mock Trial Team after Columbus Regional. in 2016

The Ohio University Mock Trial Team has selected 30 students to compete during the 2017-18 school year.

Tryouts occurred on Sept. 13 and 14. To prepare, students were required to prepare and deliver a three-minute speech on a pre-selected topic as well as a two-minute extemporaneous speech. The Mock Trial Executive Board as well as the coaches Center for Law, Justice & Culture Specialist Larry Hayman and Ohio University Associate General Counsel Grant Garber then made team selections.

This is the third year for the Ohio University Mock Trial team, a student organization affiliated with the Center for Law Justice & Culture. Notably, this year the team has expanded to 30 students, an expansion of 10 additional students.

“We were thrilled with the talent of the students who tried out for the team this year,” said Hayman. “We collectively felt that we had enough talent for three competitive teams of 10 students each this year.”

The OHIO team competes alongside 600 teams from 350 colleges and universities at American Mock Trial Association tournaments across the country.

Mock Trial is not limited to pre-law students, but assists those with an interest in increasing their knowledge about law and the American legal system. Through lectures, practice, and competition, members are able to better develop their public speaking, critical thinking, team work, and other professional skills.

The competition centers on a fictional case that students use to prepare a case theory and strategy and must form direct examinations, cross-examinations, opening and closing statements. Students act as both lawyers and witnesses in competitions.

Students selected for the 2017-18 Mock Trial team are: