WSU Honors Students Compete in Regional, National Mock Trial Events
PULLMAN, Wash. — At February’s Pacific Northwest Regional American Mock Trial Tournament at the University of Portland, three student teams from Washington State University argued court cases against such schools as Gonzaga University, Stanford University, the University of California -Berkeley, Weber State, and Reed College.
Senior Christopher Han, a three-year veteran on the WSU squad, earned an “Outstanding Witness Award” for his portrayal of a victim in a case. His team was also named runner up for the coveted Tony Burkhardt Memorial Spirit of American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Award. Han is a philosophy/pre-law major from Seattle.
Robert Colbert, a senior finance/pre-law major from Oroville, has been selected to be on the WSU team headed to nationals. That competition will be at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on March 14-16. At last year’s regional and national AMTA tournaments, Colbert was judged to be “Outstanding Attorney.” His courtroom manner allowed him to bring home in 2007 the first national Mock Trial Award in WSU history.
The third Honors College competitor at this year’s regional event was senior Jared Reams, a philosophy/pre-law major from Silverdale.
“We are very pleased with this year’s regional competition outcomes and we are proud to help support Mock Trial at WSU,” says Libby Walker, Honors College interim dean. “It is a pleasure having such fine students in our program and representing WSU.”
The national mock trial process begins in August, when the AMTA releases a case to all competing universities. There are usually three attorneys and three witnesses on each team. Students practice cases by role-playing on both the prosecution and defense sides. In competitions, they have time restrictions to present and argue their positions.
Mentor for the WSU Mock Trial group is political science professor Mitch Pickerill, who earned a law as well as a doctoral degree. Pickerill teaches a course in fall in which many Mock Trial participants enroll. In spring, most of the group stays together to practice in evenings for regional—and hopefully national—competitions.
CONTACT: Beverly Makhani, WSU Undergraduate Education Communications Director, 509-335-6679, makhani@wsu.edu
Merik Metos, WSU Office of Undergraduate Education Communications Intern, 509-335-6679