ABOUT US
Riley Winter is a ​prominent professional writer. On December 23, 2015, Winter was fired from Winter's job at the defendant's magazine. Winter contends that the termination violated the Midlands Age Discrimination Act.
This year, over 600 mock trial teams from hundreds of colleges across the country will come together to try this case. Our team, now in our fourth year, will be among them.
Mock trial tests competitors' abilities to think on one's feet, analyze information, work as a team, and keep calm under pressure. Some competitors, taking the roles of witnesses, will develop acting and improvisational skills. They will not only create interesting characters, they will have to outmaneuver the team's opposing counsel. Other team members become attorneys, arguing the law and examining witnesses.
Last year, our team was fortunate enough to reach the National qualifing level. Two years ago, we competed at nationals and placed among the top 20 teams in the nation. This year, we hope to do even better. We are excited to debate the complexities of age discrimination in an ever-changing, technologically-based workplace.
ABOUT MOCK TRIAL
Mock trial, which exists at the high school, collegiate, and law school levels, has become a robust nationwide activity. The American Mock Trial Association (commonly known as “AMTA”) was founded in 1985 to facilitate college mock trial in the United States. Today, more than 350 colleges field more than 600 teams.
Each team, of six to ten students, prepares both sides of a comprehensive case created by AMTA. Each case includes witness affidavits and depositions, expert reports, physical exhibits, statutes, and case law. The cases take place in the fictitious state of Midlands. While there are numerous invitational competitions, there are three main levels of AMTA competition: Regionals, Opening Round Championships (ORCs), and Nationals. A final National Championship Round between two teams ends the competition season each year.
In a round, three team members will play attorneys; three team members will play witnesses. As rounds evolve, each team’s strategy has to change. One lawyer from each side delivers an opening statement, another a closing argument. Each attorney directly examines one witness from their team and cross-examines a witness from the opposing team. As in real trials, lawyers object to evidence from the other side, arguing to a presiding judge and a panel of judges treated as a jury.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
CC’s Mock Trial Program began in the 2013-14 academic year, started by former high school mock trial competitor Taylor Kelson ’14. After he secured funding and recruited eight team members, he asked El Paso County Judge Regina Walter to coach the team. Walter had successfully coached a local high school mock trial team in Colorado Springs for a number of years and decided to take on the new challenge.
In the first year of the program, the seven-person team went to their Regional competition. Although there are no official place rankings in Regionals, the team emerged with the best record from that Regional. They advanced through their ORC to become one of less than 50 teams to go to Nationals. In the end, they placed eighth in their division (one of two divisions), becoming one of the top 20 ranked teams in the nation.
The second year boasted two six-person teams. Both teams went to their Regional competition. The A-team then advanced to their ORC where their season ended.
The third year, we had one six-person team and one seven-person team. Both teams went to regionals, and again the A-team advanced to ORCs, where 4 members won awards.
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We have been growing every year and are excited to see what next year brings!
