Eastern Michigan University: Department of Political Science

American Mock Trial Association events are based on a feigned case that alternates from a criminal case one year and a civil case the next. Cases take place in the fictional state of Midlands. This jurisdiction comes complete with its own set of procedural rules (i.e., process and evidential) as well as substantive rules of law and court precedent. The is played by two competing teams who play either the role of plaintiff (or prosecutor) and defense. Students begin each round of the game with one student from each side presenting an opening argument and then the plaintiff or prosecution calling three witnesses. Each of these witnesses are crossed examined by the defense. Once the plaintiff rests, the defense calls its witnesses who are also subject to cross examination. Resting of the defense cases is followed by closing arguments (these must be presented by one of the two students who did not offer an opening statement. Attorneys are scored on opening and closing as well as on their direct and cross examinations. Attorney scores are based on presentation as well as their ability to integrate the substantive, legal and procedural aspects of the case. Witnesses are scored on their performance under direct and cross examination.

Mock Trial News & Events:

EMU Mock Trial- Nationals: Results

The Mock Trial team participated last week-end, March 14-15, in the Mock Trial National competition in Kansas City. The team of nine students excelled (as usual): they placed 8th and won two top ten attorney awards and one top ten witness award. In spite of their excellent performance, they did not make it to the final national round. Here is a full account of their success as provide by Barry:

"We are not going on to the National Championship round. It was close ... very close. At the end of the third round we were in first place and in a position to win the tournament with a victory. In the end we came up a few points short. We placed 8th and won two top ten attorney awards and one top ten witness award. They really did very well. They took two ballots from Kansas, two ballots from Loras and one ballot from Drake - All programs are nationally recognized programs. I will compile a complete report of our year in the coming weeks but here is a short one.

We attended and traveled to seven tournaments(Ohio State, Illinois State, Case Western, Pittsburgh, Ohio Northern, Notre Dame and Kansas City - we also held two scrimmages on campus against Western Michigan and Ohio State). We won or tied for first in three tournaments, won numerous individual awards and went to a national tournament for the fourth time in our history. Before regionals, we were ranked 22nd in the country (400+ teams) Without question, this was our most successful year. The program made great strides this year and we are now recognized as a "national" program who was very/very close to winning our opening round of the AMTA national champion. Eastern should be very proud of its students .... I know I am."

Please congratulate all of Mock Trial students for their success and hard work and Barry and Mark for leading the team to success!

EMU Mock Trial- Nationals!

The Mock Trial team was offered an open bid to participate in the first round of the national Mock Trial competitions. The first round will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, in two weeks from now. If the team makes it among the first six, then it will go n to the final national competition where only 24 teams are invited to participate.

In two weeks from now, Barry Pyle and a team of eight students will travel to Kansas City! Let's wish them all great success and congratulations for taking the Mock Trial to the nationals!!

Congratulations and good luck to Mock Trial and its advisers, Professors Barry Pyle and Mark Maironis!

EMU Mock Trial in Ohio Northern competition

Forty eight teams competed at the Ohio Northern competition during the week-end of January 17-19. Eastern took two teams, one of which ended with a 7-1 record and the other with a 3-2-3 record. The one team had 3 ties which means in three of their trials one point deprived them of a win and a potential 6-2 record. The team with 7-1 tied with three other teams for first place among which are Ohio State, and Case Western Reserve. We ended up taking home a 3rd place trophy because of tie breakers. This is the third invitational in a row that this team has either won or tied for first place. That's extraordinary! Even more extraordinary is that our students took over 10% of the individual awards. Angela Moorman was awarded a best attorney award while best witness awards were won by John Tatman, Ryan Johnson and Allegra Lanni.