November 10, 2017
K-State mock trial teams finish strong at first invitational tournament of the season
Submitted by Daralyn Gordon Arata
Two teams from the Kansas State University Mock Trial Club traveled to compete in the annual Macalester Trials hosted by Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Both teams faced tough competition during their first tournament of the season.
One of the teams tied for 10th place out of 46, and both teams had attorneys and witnesses nominated for awards.
"It was wonderful to see all of our hard work from the past few months finally pay off," said Molly Pratt, junior in history and pre-law and executive board member.
The Macalester tournament consisted of four individual trials, each lasting approximately three hours. All teams competed using a case file released in August by the American Mock Trial Association. Students compete throughout the tournament as attorneys and witnesses to defend their case before judges.
Other schools at the competition included Drake University, Cornell College, University of Minnesota and Saint Louis University, among others.
Formed in 2009, K-State's Mock Trial Club is an academic competition team that competes in simulated trials in a courtroom setting. The club meets at 7:30 p.m. every Monday and Thursday in 311 Nichols Hall.
The Mock Trial Club is led by Kansas City attorneys Benjamin Long, K-State alumnus, and Mark Brinkworth, as well as Dakota Baccus, president and senior in political science and pre-law. The club provides students with the opportunity to enhance their critical thinking, speaking, listening, writing, professionalism skills — all necessary in a legal career. The club is sponsored by K-State's Office of Pre-Law Advising and the communication studies department.
The team also will attend the 30th National Mock Trial Invitational Jan. 26-27, 2018, hosted by Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.
Students interested in the Mock Trial Club can contact Baccus at 785-392-0081 or dakota10@k-state.edu. More information is available on the K-State Mock Trial Facebook page.