UT Mock Trial Sends Two Teams to Championships
The University of Tennessee Mock Trial organization recorded one of its most successful seasons in 2023-2024, ranking among the top 15% nationally.
In competitions across the country, UT Mock Trial participants scored 14 individual awards and seven team awards, with two teams earning invitations to championship competition.
The Department of Political Science supports the program, which draws students from across the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. “We have education majors, sociology majors, psychology majors, et cetera,’ said Jayden Hasting, the president of UT Mock Trial this year and a senior political science major. “Our vice president of administration is a deaf studies major.”
“The most common thread is that a lot of our members want to go to law school and practice law, however, even that is not universal,” said Hasting, who is an aspiring attorney. For some students the draw is the amount of acting required for the competitions.
Bringing Trial Court to Life
“I like to say that mock trial is like a mix of debate and theater,” he explained. “It’s about arguments, but it’s also about storytelling, which tends to require a knack for the theatrics.”
Mock trial competitions focus on the types of cases typically seen on TV, such as murder, robbery, or negligence, with four trials of about three hours each spread over a Saturday and Sunday. “Last year, we traveled to places like Notre Dame, Emory University, and Yale University,” Hasting said. “Sometimes we compete in the local courthouses, and other times the university hosts us.”
UT Mock Trial has three teams with 10 members each, and two of those teams earned spots in the last Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) Tournament. Only the top 15% of teams in the nation advance to the ORCS, by earning a bid at regional events. UT’s A Team placed second and the B Team fifth during a competition last year in Columbia, South Carolina, securing their ORCS bids.
Growing Membership, Raising Rank
Few of the team members had mock trial experience before coming to UT.
“One year ago today, our organization had eight returning members, the minimum amount required to maintain a registered student organization,” Hasting said. “Through last year’s recruitment, we took on a whopping 28 new members
“Despite this challenge, our organization persisted,” he said and its national ranking rose from 116th to 102th out of more than 700 teams.
“Today, we have 19 returning members, and we are looking at yet another record-breaking recruitment season with more than 100 people signing our interest form,” he said.
“We have amazing talent and dedication in our organization,” Hasting said. “In the coming year, I am confident that we will only get better.”
UT Mock Trial also will host its second annual Mocky Top Invitational this fall, with two dozen competitors. “Teams from Rhodes College, Duke University, the University of Alabama, William & Mary, Vanderbilt, and many more have accepted our invitations, and we can’t wait to see them here in Knoxville come November,” Hasting said.
“The Department of Political Science is extremely proud of the club’s accomplishments, and we look forward to next season,” said department Head Brandon Prins.
Assistant Professor Kirsten Widner is now serving as faculty advisor, following the retirement of Lecturer Joe Jarret.
By Amy Beth Miller