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Rotunda Report
  • Rotunda Report
    February 14, 2014

    Sweet 16: High School Mock Trial Teams Advance to State Tournament, Winner Hosts Nationals in Madison

    Feb. 14, 2014 – Students from 16 Wisconsin high schools recently advanced to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s 31st Annual High School Mock Trial State Tournament, a two-day event that starts March 9 at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison.

    Each team will have a chance to make their case before a panel of volunteer attorneys and judges, beginning with four trials on Sunday, March 9 and concluding with the top two teams competing in a final round on Monday, March 10, judged by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The winning team will go on to compete against other state champion teams at the National Mock Trial Championships.

    This year's state champion has a unique opportunity to represent Wisconsin as the host team from May 8 to 10 at the National Championship in Madison. The State Bar is hosting the three-day event for the first time in nearly 20 years.

    The Mock Trial program provides high school students with an opportunity to act as attorneys and witnesses in a court case that has been developed by State Bar members. This year’s students – in teams of 6 to 12 – were presented with a civil case.

    The case, which was drafted by members of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Mock Trial Committee, prompted students to prepare and present their arguments based on the following scenario:

    Taylor Hamilton was driving Mom’s car, heading to P-cubed on the night of the big game. Alex Cooper left the game early because the team was losing, as usual. Alex cut through the woods and started to cross Nash Street, behind the high school. When the car and Alex collided, Alex was badly injured. Was Taylor careful enough or was Taylor distracted by friends and a text message? Did Alex’s hoodie cause a problem or did he exercise caution in crossing the road?

    More than 100 high school teams took part in this year’s regional competition, which is up from previous years.

    2014 Mock Trial Regional Winners

    All teams finishing first in each region will compete in the semifinals, along with five second place teams that were randomly selected from all second place finishers. The teams advancing to the semifinals are: 

    Region 1 – Eau Claire
    First: River Falls High School Team 1
    Second: Superior High School Team 1

    Region 3 – Green Bay
    First: DC Everest Team 2

    Region 4 – Wisconsin Rapids
    First: Rhinelander High School Team 1

    Region 5 – Appleton
    First: Xavier High School Team 1

    Region 6 – La Crosse
    First: La Crosse Logan Senior High School

    Region 7 – Middleton
    First: Middleton High School Team 1
    Second: River Valley High School

    Region 8 – Racine
    First: Franklin High School
    Second: Christian Life School

    Region 9 – Janesville
    First: Oregon High School

    Region 10 – Milwaukee
    First: Shorewood High School Team 1

    Region 12 – Juneau
    First: Lodi High School Team 1
    Second: Beaver Dam High School Team 1

    Region 13 – Waukesha
    First: Brookfield Academy Team 1
    Second: Wauwatosa West Team 1

    RotundaReport


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