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۽ֱ Mock Trial team takes first place in the ‘Jackson Joust’

Published September 26, 2016

MONROE, La. — ۽ֱ Mock Trial teams competed in the Jackson Joust this past weekend at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., with the Gold squad sweeping all rounds to take first place.

۽ֱ sent three teams to the event to compete against teams from Millsaps College, Mississippi University for Women, and Mississippi Valley State University.

The Gold squad finished first, with a 68-point margin of victory over the second place finisher. The Maroon squad finished fifth, and the White squad finished eighth. 

Adam Nettles (Gold squad), Isaiah Chavis (Maroon squad), and Carsyn Smallwood (White squad) received awards for Best Attorney.

“I am honored and humbled to have won a Best Attorney award at the Jackson Joust, which I could not have done without the support of my teammates and coaches. Mock Trial at ۽ֱ is a great program,” said Smallwood.

Laralee Herron (Gold squad), Elliott Gonzalez (Gold squad), and Briana Robertson (Maroon squad) received awards for Best Witness. 

The squads are coached by attorneys Bob Noel, Kyle Moore, and Brooke Michiels.

Noel indicated that he was very proud of how the students performed in their first competition of the year but that some improvement was needed.

“It is always satisfying to win tournaments and we will certainly celebrate our success; however, we also recognize that we still have a lot of work to do and a lot of improvements to make in order to obtain our goal of qualifying for the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Championship,” said Noel.

۽ֱ’s Mock Trial Team was founded in 2013 by Noel, with assistance from political science professors Dr. Joshua Stockley and Dr. John Sutherlin. ۽ֱ is affiliated with the AMTA, founded in 1985 as the governing body for intercollegiate mock trial competition. Approximately 600 teams from over 350 universities and colleges will compete in 24 regional tournaments, eight opening round championship tournaments and a national championship tournament each season.

۽ֱ’s Mock Trial team is the only team from Louisiana to ever advance from their regional tournament to the national tournament. ۽ֱ’s Mock Trial team has accomplished this feat for the last two years.

۽ֱ has been invited to compete in the Hustle City Challenge by the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas on October 6-9, the Mid-South Invitational Mock Trial Tournament hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. on November 10-13, and the Argo Invitational hosted by West Florida University in Pensacola, Fla. on January 12-14. 

۽ֱ will host the 3rd Annual Warhawk Mock Trial Jamboree in the Spring on campus in the E. Orum Young Courtroom situated alongside Bayou DeSiard.

Team Members

Gold Squad
Attorneys: Adam Nettles (Captain), Olivia Sage, Jorden Johnson
Witnesses: Erin McManus, Sarah Cheathem, Laralee Herron, Trinity Coates, Bree Bowie, Elliott Gonzalez

Maroon Squad
Attorneys: Charles Dupree (Captain), Isaiah Chavis, Laura Moore (also witness), Nick McBride
Witnesses: Brianna Robertson, Molly York, Shelby Joyner, Taylor Houston

White Squad
Attorneys: Dorae Dadgar, Edna Rogers, Carsyn Smallwood
Witnesses: Aja Dozier, Kezia Manning, Drew Fenske, Jeremy Jones, Jazmine Belton, Devin Ford, Antonia Harris