The weekend of October 19, the American Heritage Plantation Mock Trial team traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to compete in the 7th annual Empire Mock Trial Competition. Forty of the best mock trial teams from around the United States and Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and South Korea competed in the prestigious event. In the past, the Heritage team has consistently placed in the top five or ten, which are the teams that are recognized for their performances.
This year, the case was the State of Midlands vs Danny Dawson, a criminal case involving murder and driving under the influence.
Participating teams presented both the prosecution and defense, which included full trial openings, closings, direct examinations and cross examinations.
At this year’s competition, the standout was Matthew Robinson, who won a Best Attorney award. He was acknowledged for the highest score at the competition as an attorney for the defense side. Matthew scored a possible 29 out of 30 points. He is the only American Heritage Mock Trial student ever to accomplish this feat.
Matt Robinson is Heritage’s most decorated
AHS mock trial student. He has been a witness on a State championship team. He has won two “Best Witness” awards, and now has a “Best Attorney” to add to his resume. Matt has been on a team that placed in the top ten at Nationals and a team that has placed in the top ten at the Empire competition.
Another Heritage team (coached by Michael Gilfarb) will compete at the Yale University Bulldog Competition. Following the Yale event, the best students from the two Heritage teams will join together for county competition, and if they advance, then they will move on to State competition in Orlando in March. That case will be a criminal trial, State of Florida vs. Jessie Davis, a simulated Drug Trafficking Trial.
The Empire Mock Trial Competition team consisted of
Attorneys
Matthew Robinson
Isabel Gabaldon
Olivia Brown
Witnesses
Ryan Romero
Mia Castillo
Emilia Briano
Spenser Krimsky
Alexander Weisbrot
Alternates
Elizabeth Flynn
Arianna Deshpande
Deniyal Mistry