College Mock Trial (AMTA meaning, Tournaments, Mock Trials/Real Court)

A College Mock Trial is a competition where students simulate a real trial. The trial remains the same throughout the academic year and pertains to an official AMTA (American Mock Trial Association) case.

Every year, the case alternates between a civil and a criminal case. The case takes place in the imaginary state of Midlands, USA, and it is entirely not real.

About six to ten members make up the various teams. However, just six of the members in a team are allowed to compete at any specific time, that is, three witnesses and three attorneys.

These six team members will compete against six other people in another team from a different institution. The two various teams must get ready for competition, the defense, and prosecution or plaintiff cases.

However, this infers that any team member could perform either of the two roles, one for each side of the case.

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College Mock Trial

What is AMTA?

The American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) controls both national and regional level competitions, distributes, writes rules and case packets, and has a record, more like a registry of mock trial competitors and alumni.

Generally, the case packet is written and distributed before the academic year in August.

Changes regarding the case are carried out throughout the season, particularly in December, February, and September after regional competitions and before the championship rounds are opened.

An estimate of about 600 teams from over 350 universities and colleges usually compete in AMTA tournaments.

At the same time, AMTA offers a platform for over 5,300 undergraduate students in total every academic year to participate in college mock trial competitions across the country.

College Mock Trial

What goes on during Tournaments?

There are four rounds at every tournament. You get to perform only one side of your case at each round. This means that you will either act as the defense or prosecution/plaintiff.

A trial comprises direct and cross-examinations, opening and closing statements. In every competition round, each team provides six witnesses.

Each of these witnesses requires a direct examination by their team attorney and a cross-examination carried out by an attorney from the contending team. All these requirements are prepared before the trial properly commences.

In addition, concerning the Midlands Rules of Evidence, attorneys must learn to object. Moreover, scores are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 during rounds by judges. At the end of a round, the team with the highest points wins that round.

Afterward, scores are tabulated, and the winners are announced at the end of the competition after four rounds. Also, teams are allowed to present twice as both the defense and the prosecution/plaintiff.

Note: Three-hour limits are given to rounds. Afterward, the team gets into “All Loss,” and the ratings/votes from the round are ineffectual.

Witnesses may be available to both parties of the case, or solely to the defense, plaintiff, or prosecution, depending on the case.

Experts and lay witnesses make up the witnesses, whereas judges are usually coaches or attorneys and rarely practicing judges.

College Mock Trial

What does Tournament Season look like?

“Tournament Season” kicks off in August when AMTA releases the case packet. However, universities host their competitions known as “invitationals” all through October till January.

Though all these are not sponsored officially by AMTA, the AMTA’s website serves as a great opportunity for teams to practice before the regional competition commences.

Invitationals are great for team line-ups and case theory testing without the feeling of being pressured by the upcoming regional competition.

Teams run against one another in January or February in an official, AMTA sponsored tournament, depending on the region. In advancement to the Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS), six teams are ranked and awarded.

Being ranked and awarded for the ORCS makes the team eligible to be among the top three of all mock trial teams in the nation. If a team passes the ORCS, they advance and move to the National Championships.

At the National Championships, teams go head in for the title of first place. Typically, there are more than 600 teams across over 24 regional tournaments.

All schools have access to just two post-regional bids before the Opening Round Championship Series.

Although there used to be direct bids from Regionals to the National Championship Tournament, they no longer exist. The Opening Round Championship consists of about 192 teams and is held at eight various tournament sites.

The best teams at every Opening Round Championship Tournament make it for the National Championship Tournament. In total, there are about 48 total bids to the final tournament.

College Mock Trial

Differences Between Mock Trials and Real Court?

Undoubtedly, mock trial tournaments enable you to learn real courtroom skills; however, there are slight differences between mock trials and real courtroom sessions. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Mock trials differ from a real court because witnesses are not real and may change or remember things at the final whistle.

Also, there are limits to some of the motions and arguments we can make in mock trials. For example, a dismissal isn’t allowed at the end of the prosecution/plaintiff case in chief.

Pre-trial motions are not allowed too. However, provisions have been made in the case packet with the former judge’s imaginary/unreal ruling.

Conclusion

College mock trial teams take a break for a few months after the National Championships Tournament. The last batch of exams in May and the summer academic break are responsible for the delay of the Mock Trial.

However, a new case problem may have been released when students returned to campus in August. This indicates the time to begin preparations for a new season!

Awesome one; I hope this article answered your question.

College Mock Trial (AMTA meaning, Tournaments, Mock Trials/Real Court)