Mock trial teams in slugfest
By Mary Lynn & Sherry Johnson
This past February, 10 area public, private and home schools participated in the Tennessee Bar Association’s High School Mock Trial Regional competition. Four homeschool teams competed at the Hamilton County Courthouse, again this year. Homeschool teams CSTHEA, Family Christian Academy Blue (FCA Blue), Family Christian Academy Red (FCA Red), and Gateway Christian School were coached by attorney Jeff Atherton and assisted by attorney Nathaniel Goggans, his wife, Julie, (with drama) and Jenny Toombs.
Every team in our state was given the same case to study over three months. The case involved a former district attorney who is charged with the murder of the defense attorney who just won the case they had fought in court.
The prosecution represented the state with a charge of first degree murder against the defendant, whose lawyers insisted was innocent or temporarily insane. Students write questions, opening statements, and closing arguments on case facts using affidavits, exhibits, case law, and rules that are given. Everything is memorized. Participants gain knowledge of case law and charges and defenses. Students learn to be witnesses or attorneys. The benefits of mock trial include learning about our justice system, team work, commitment, handling pressure in the challenges of competition, public speaking, critical thinking, writing, thinking on your feet and memorization.
During the competition at the Hamilton County Courthouse, students are scored by local attorney volunteers as jurors and presiding judges. Fifteen teams presented their cases four times. It was very exciting to have three homeschool teams among the four with the highest scores to advance to the final round. FCA Blue and McCallie 1 faced each other with Judge Don Poole presiding while CSTHEA and FCA Red competed in another Hamilton County Courtroom with Judge Barry Steelman.
At the conclusion, FCA Red was announced as first place again this year and McCallie 1 as second, and represented our region at the Tennessee State Bar Association High School Mock Trial competition in Nashville at the end of March.
The mock trial season continued as FCA Red, with the additional home school teams assisting, practiced to compete against fifteen different school winners from across the state. At the conclusion of the fourth round, FCA Red was the only undefeated team. David Hill was awarded Best Defense Witness in the state and the team Most Valuable Player was awarded to Ethan Hargraves.
Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade presided for the final trial with FCA Red ultimately being awarded second place. While competing in Nashville, our students from the four mock trial teams, coaches, parents and family members were joined by our two consecutive National High School Mock Trial team winners, Anna, Matt and Josh Downer, making a delegation of 50 to cheer on our team.
But the mock trial season was not over! The Tennessee Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division advanced Family Christian Academy to compete in the American Mock Trial Invitational hosted by the New Jersey State Bar Association at Rutgers University May 2 - 4. FCA Red began studying the brand new case the moment it was released March 30 and a scrimmage team of this season’s mock trial students worked together to prepare.
All the students and parents can be very proud of the accomplishments, the many skills learned and experiences gained of the students of every team.
For a successful season, many people can be thanked, in addition to our esteemed coaches, the many parents who provide transportation to practices and parents who volunteer to be at the practices throughout the year.
During the Nashville trip for the Tennessee State competition, adult chaperones Jim Garner, Jim Hill, Rene Hipp, Sherry Johnson, Theresa Jones, John and Allyson Kinard, Jenny Toombs and Mary Yates, made it possible for a positive experience for our students. Special thanks to these parents and to Jeannette Tulis for her assistance and the gracious Nashville hospitality provided by Joanne Pulles and Mike and Belinda Sacci, and to Jared Gaston for photography.
Teams and members
- CSTHEA
- Charity Arnold, Todd Caroland, Matt Garner, Abby Hipp, Jeremy Hipp, Andrew Randall, Virginia Rickard, Abigail Tulis, timekeeper Julie Hipp
- FCA Blue
- Danyelle Dover, Michael Dover, Stefany Jimenez, Joshua Jones, Meaghan Jones, John Till, Micah Till, Skylar Tinney
- FCA Red
- Jeffrey Atherton, Jr., Ethan Hargraves, David Hill, Kyle Johnson, Jay Kinard, Nate Kinard, Meredith Toombs, Megan Toombs
- Gateway
- Scott Burnett, Christina Contarino, Abigail Cox, Stephen Cox, David Cox, Mary Lynn Johnson, Jon Welsh, timekeeper Michelle Contarino.
