In only five years since its inception, the Dartmouth Mock Trial Society has earned its way to an impressive standing in the country, as evidenced by the dozen or so plaques and trophies on the table in Rockefeller 1 yesterday.
President of the society David Gacioch '00 began the 'Year in Review' presentation by saying that this was one of the society's strongest seasons yet, since its founding in 1996 by Lloyd Fass '97. The group has won many accolades this year, including an amazing first place victory in the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Intercollegiate Tournament.
The Mock Trial Society currently boasts four full teams: black, silver, green and white -- the maximum allowed in regional competition -- which consist of eight students each, divided into three "attorneys" and five "witnesses."
More than 400 teams from over 300 colleges around the country are presented with the same hypothetical case, which alternates between criminal and civil each year. This year, the case was inspired by the story "Into Thin Air" by John Krakauer. The case created the hypothetical situation in which the estate of a climber who died on the slopes of Mount Everest sued his guiding service for negligence.
Each team must prepare the prosecution and defense and compete on both sides in any given tournament.
Individuals on each team are scored, and then added up for the team score, to avoid allowing the matter of the case to bias the scorers.
This year, the society sent two teams to the annual Yale Invitational Tournament, where they garnered an Outstanding Attorney Award and an Outstanding Witness Award -- out of only 10 in each category.
The maximum number of four teams were sent to annual AMTA Regional competitions in Manchester, NH and Rochester, NY where two teams placed fourth and fifth place, and qualified for the annual AMTA National Intercollegiate Tournament, as well as winning four Outstanding Witness Awards and two Outstanding Attorney Awards.
The black and silver teams traveled to St. Paul, Minn. for the National Tournament, where they represented Dartmouth by stunning the competition with first and eighth place wins in their division, qualifying the silver team for the National Championship Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.
Matthew Levine '02, who scored a perfect 20 in his role as witness in the Regional Tournament, winning the Outstanding Witness Award, also won the All-American Witness Award at the National Tournament level.
Qualification for the Championship Tournament can be achieved in the Regional Tournament, but only four teams can achieve qualification from the National Tournament.
The silver team did not place in the top 10 in the Championship Tournament, however the score they received was the best they had ever received at that level.
Unlike most other college teams, who have full-time coaches, law schools, or even Mock Trial classes for credit, the Dartmouth Mock Trial Society is mostly student run, with help from a few faculty members.
They are working on strengthening their relationships with the Dartmouth Lawyers Association, and the Dartmouth alumni body for increased resources and advice.
The finances involved in the Mock Trial Society are quite high, especially considering the amount of travel involved. This season's costs were $28,409.19, with the majority of funding coming from the Committee of Student Organizations, and other donations from the Rockefeller Center, Robert Hustek '51, Dean of the College James Larimore and College President James Wright.
Stephanie Hogan '02, team captain and president-elect for next year, explained there was a conflict of interest between the desire for open membership where anyone interested can join, and limited funding and the four-team AMTA competition limit.
This year, the society actually had over 32 members for the first time, and has heard from about 20 interested '05s who might be joining next year.
Hogan said they are looking into using the surplus of students to create developmental teams which would compete for experience at invitationals, and eventually compete in AMTA.
Levine, secretary and vice president-elect of the organization claimed the members of the society were "missionaries, in a respect, bringing Dartmouth to the AMTA, and the rest of the world," representing the "strengths of Dartmouth."
"It's educational," he said, "it doesn't just teach you about law, but also how to communicate, and think on your feet, which can be used in whatever you do." He also briefly mentioned some of the varied topics he had to learn about and research in his role as witness, ranging from fuel gauges to meteorology to maggots.
Among the long-term goals for the society is the hope to secure financial independence, to ease the burden on COSO and even the possibility of hosting their own Invitational Tournament at Dartmouth.
