Posted by From the Dallas South News Wire (Dallas Bar Association)
Booker T. Washington High School has won first-place in the 31st Annual Texas High School Mock Trial Competition. On Friday and Saturday (March 6-7), 24 high schools teams from across Texas competed in Dallas, arguing a hypothetical court case. These teams, which have emerged as the best in their school districts/regions, were matched against one another, culminating in a final championship round Saturday evening at the Earle Cabell Federal Building, and was presided over by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn.
The mock trial team from Booker T. Washington High School will now represent Texas in May at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Philadelphia (for more information at www.nationalmocktrial.org). Patricia Woods coaches the Booker T. Washington mock trial team, and team members include Christopher Clark, Toni Campbell, Richmond Greene, Omar Jimenez, Ben Nguyen, Victor Nguyen, Wolf Ozarow, Christina Vega and Madison Wald. The team’s Attorney Advisor is Abigail Mathews.
The second-place team represents Carrollton Creekview High School. The “top four” also included teams from Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School of Beaumont and Ursuline Academy of Dallas.
In addition, Andrew Reynolds of Waco High School was selected as Outstanding Witness and Christopher Clark of Booker T. Washington High School was chosen as Outstanding Advocate. The team from Lubbock Monterrey High School was honored with the award for Team Professionalism.
Serving as “jurors” this weekend, and selecting the teams that are best prepared and who demonstrate exceptional presentation skills, were nearly 200 Dallas judges and attorneys. For the final round of competition, “jurors” included DBA President Ike Vanden Eykel, DAYL President; Jennifer Edgeworth, DAYL President; Michele Wong Krause, DBA Director; Karen McCloud, JL Turner President; Scott McElhaney, DBA Board of Directors Chair; Jose Ortiz, DHBA President; and Eunice Kim Nakamura, DAABA President-Elect.
Students portrayed defense and plaintiffs attorneys, as well as “witnesses.” Each year, the “case” is written by local attorneys on the DBA Mock Trial Committee, co-chaired by Steve Gwinn and Hon. Lana Myers. Committee co-vice chairs for 2010 are Prater Monning and Steven Russell.
The Dallas Bar Association has sponsored and coordinated the statewide program since its inception in the 1970s to teach high school students how the justice system works and how the law is applied in everyday life, and to expose them to critical thinking exercises and quick analysis through preparation and presentation. In the 31-year history, the Texas High School Mock Trial Competition has had more than 120,000 participants and has awarded approximately $300,000 in scholarships at the local, regional and state levels.
This year’s DBA Mock Trial Committee Co-Chairs are Steve Gwinn of Suzanne I. Calvert & Associates and the Hon. Lana Myers. The Dallas Bar thanks the following contributors to the 2010 Texas High School Mock Trial: The Robert A. and Marianne S. Gwinn Family Foundation, Thomas P. Goranson, Peter G. Malouf, Dallas Lawyers Auxiliary, DBA Tort & Insurance Practice Section and the Dallas Bar Foundation.
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