Hamilton’s Mock Trial team competed last weekend (Feb. 5-7) at a regional competition, held at Pennsylvania State University. This competition determined whether the team would advance to the next level of bracketed competition, the Opening Round Championship (ORCs).
Throughout the weekend, Hamilton’s team faced tough competition. On the first day, Hamilton’s Prosecution team faced Seton Hall’s A team. Both teams performed well during this round, and each took one ballot. The judges commended both teams on their incredible work ethic. Since one judge was a past mock trial competitor, he understood that being successful at mock trial requires “a lot of work, a lot of hard work.”
The next day, Hamilton’s Defense team faced Elizabethtown College in the morning, and Dickinson College’s A team in the afternoon. In both trials, Hamilton’s team demonstrated adaptability and powerful public speaking skills. Ultimately, the team swept both rounds, and walked out of the courtroom with a cumulative record of 5-1.
On the final day of competition, the Prosecution team faced Ithaca College’s A team. Again, the team was charismatic and persuasive. In the end, Hamilton won this trial unanimously. The presiding judge commended both teams for putting on “the best trial [he’d] seen all weekend.”
Sunday afternoon, Hamilton’s team found out at the closing ceremony that they had placed third out of 24 teams, which granted them a bid to the next round of competition at ORCs. The other six teams advancing (in order of rank) were: Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University’s B and A teams, Case Western University, and Pennsylvania State University’s A team. Hamilton, and these seven teams, will compete with teams from other parts of the country March 18-20 in Lancaster, Pa., at ORCs.
In addition, two members of the team earned awards for their individual performance that weekend. Conor O’Shea ’18 won an outstanding attorney award for his role as a Prosecution closing attorney. Co-Captain Hunter Green ’16 also won an outstanding attorney award for his role as a Defense closing attorney. Green was also given perfect ranks throughout the weekend, meaning that every judge he competed in front of thought he was the best attorney in the round.
The other competing members include: Co-Captain Caroline Reppert ’17, Andrew Fischer ’17, Ryan Bloom ’18, Thomas Duda ’18, Rachel Dawson ’19, Samantha Gordon ’19, Brad Marston ’19, and Patrick McConnell ’19.
