College Mock Trial Online Championship (revised to include openings and witness performances)

Obviously there are bigger problems in the world right now than the cancellation of mock trial tournaments -- but it is still hugely disappointing to invest all that time and not be able to showcase your efforts.  My students at UCLA Law are devastated, too; they worked hard to qualify for law school national tournaments, and now they don't get to compete.

So we're launching the College Mock Trial Online Championship. It's exclusively for current college mock trial competitors.  It will take place online, as competitors will upload video recordings of their performances. You can read the rules and download the case (24 pages) by clicking here.  

This doesn't replicate the ORCS/NCT team experience, of course, but we figure some mock trial is better than none.  Also: We will have a $500 prize for first place in each category and recognition of top performers.

The deadline is March 31, 2020. Upload your video to YouTube; you can set it to public or “unlisted” (so only those with the link can view it). Then enter the competition by completing this form.

The tournament packet includes very few rules -- we want this to be simple -- but I am sure people will have questions.  To answer a few questions I anticipate: You can work with whomever you wish.  There is no limit on the number of entries per school.  Each competitor may only submit one video.

Questions?  Email me at bernstein[at]law.ucla.edu.

Good luck!

Justin

UPDATE: After we announced the competition, we received a huge response -- and requests to include openings and witness performances.  The people have spoken.  You can submit one of those options -- a witness performance, opening statement, or closing argument.  $500 prize for first place in each category (best witness, best opening, best closing) and recognition of top performers.  The case, rules, submission form, and clarifications are all here in this Google Drive folder.