ABOUT US

The Mock Trial Competition Team at Auburn University furthers the study of law through various competitions, where the team competes against other prominent universities from around the country. Team members come from various majors across all colleges at Auburn. Through participation in Mock Trial, students enhance their critical thinking, communication and writing skills, all while preparing for law school and the legal profession.

In August, the American Mock Trial Association ( AMTA), releases a case packet to university and college teams located across the United States. This packet presents either a criminal or civil case that centers around a particular fictitious set of facts and legal issues. The case packet includes all necessary witness affidavits, evidence, prevailing case law and statutory law.

Each team will prepare both a plaintiff/prosecution and a defense case, writing opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations and closing arguments. Students within the organization play the roles of both attorneys and witnesses.

Competitions consist of four rounds, where teams compete twice as the Plaintiff/Prosecution and twice as the Defense. Rounds last approximately three hours, and occur over a two or three day weekend. Each team member is scored according to AMTA criteria.

For more information about the American Mock Trial Association, visit AMTA's website.

FALL SEMESTER PREPARATION

SPRING SEMESTER PREPARATION

In the fall, the focus is on learning trial procedures, the rules of evidence, and proper courtroom decorum. Class meets three times per week.

After an education period of several weeks, members begin constructing a case theory from the materials provided in the AMTA packet. Members acting as witnesses begin learning their affidavits and

In the fall, the focus is on learning trial procedures, the rules of evidence, and proper courtroom decorum. Class meets three times per week.

After an education period of several weeks, members begin constructing a case theory from the materials provided in the AMTA packet. Members acting as witnesses begin learning their affidavits and crafting their characters. Attorneys begin drafting direct and cross-examinations, opening statements, and closing arguments.. Some members alternate between playing witnesses and attorneys.

The teams participate in invitationals hosted by universities throughout the southeast during the fall to test their theories.

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SPRING SEMESTER PREPARATION

In the spring, the teams again practice three or four nights per week for approximately 2 to 3 hours per session. The focus of spring semester is preparing for and competing in AMTA tournaments. In February the team competes in AMTA Regionals. In March, the teams advance to the next level of the AMTA series, the

Opening Rounds of the Cha

Opening Rounds of the Championship Series (ORCS).

To prepare, individual trial teams scrimmage each other in practice rounds judged by local attorneys and state judges. The teams occasionally schedule scrimmages with teams from other universities. Members are required to attend every class meeting, so that each member can provide his or her unique perspective on the important facts and legal issues to be presented at trial.

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ACHIEVEMENTS

The Mock Trial Competition Team at Auburn University has won at least one award every year they have participated in the regional AMTA competition. These awards include Best Attorney, Best Witness, and Spirit of AMTA. Selected by other competing teams, the Spirit of AMTA award is given to the team that best demonstrates civility, justice and fair play.

With the exception of one year, Auburn has been invited to participate in AMTA's Opening Rounds of the Championship Series every year since 2018.

Auburn team members are regularly recognized with All-Regional and All-National attorney and witness awards. The 2024-2025 year began with 790 teams competing in the AMTA system. At the end of the season, The Mock Trial Competition Team at Auburn University was ranked 70, putting them in the top 10% of teams in the country.