Mock Trial at Nationals: CA Racks up Points, Awards

No Trial Run: CA Team Earns Berth to National Tournament

For the first time in the school’s history, Colorado Academy’s Mock Trial Team not only won a state championship but earned its spot to compete at the U.S. Nationals in Hartford, CT in May. The team engaged in two days of intense competition at the National level.

CA took on North Carolina, Massachusetts, Northern Mariana Islands, and Utah and earned the third highest point total in the entire tournament. In the words of one coach, “These students developed more talent over the past four days than they did in the entire month of April.” Stiff competition, a demanding schedule, and a complex case tested students’ limits in ways that enabled them to build upon the pre-existing confidence they brought to the competition.

Results from Nationals include:

  • CA had the highest single-round point total of any team in the National Tournament.
  • CA had the third highest point total of all teams over the four rounds of competition.
  • CA placed in the top half of all teams (by number of wins and number of ballots).
  • The Tournament winner, North Carolina, had to beat CA to be able to qualify for the championship round.

Team Awards include:

  • “Best Attorney” awards in specific rounds were spread among CA student attorneys Jacqueline Patel (2 awards), Erin McCoy, and Ady Richards.
  • “Best Witness Awards” in specific rounds were spread among CA student witnesses Liam Caplan (2 awards), Eric Bear, and Avery Niles.

CA’s Mock Trial program was launched by faculty sponsor Luis Terrazas nearly a decade ago. While each year students turned in commanding performances, this was the team’s first trip to Nationals. In a message to the team, Terrazas said, “You did all of us proud— your coaches, your school, the Colorado Bar Association, and the State of Colorado. We are honored to have had the pleasure of working alongside you. Thank you for a most enjoyable tournament. More importantly, congratulations on making this the most successful season in our school’s history and for representing your home state.”