What is Collegiate Mock Trial?
Collegiate Mock Trial is an extracurricular activity which provides undergraduate students the opportunity to compete on a national level.
Students learn first hand about the work of trial attorneys, understand the judicial system, develop critical thinking and enhance communication skills.
Tournaments consist of trials between prosecution (or plaintiff) and defense teams. Each team consists of 6-8 members, six of whom will actually compete at any given time (three as attorneys, three as witnesses). Each trial focuses on a single case which governs competition for the entire year, alternating annually between a criminal or civil legal issue.
Collegiate Mock Trial has been coordinated since its founding in 1984 by the American Mock Trial Association, or AMTA.
Who competes for UVa Mock Trial?
UVa mock trial is open to all undergraduate students. Students with interest in the law, as well as experience in theater or public speaking are encouraged to try out, although neither is necessary. Graduates of UVa Mock Trial are currently attending law school at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UVa, and Pepperdine.
Try-outs are held early in the fall semester. For more information, please see the recruitment page.
How successful is UVa Mock Trial?
The Mock Trial Program at the University of Virginia is a perennial national powerhouse. In 2005-06, and again in 2006-07, Virginia Mock Trial won the AMTA National Championship. The 06-07 team finished undefeated in its division, and beat Harvard in the National Championship Round for the second consecutive year. UVa is one of only four programs in AMTA's twenty-four years to win back-to-back national titles. In the past three years, UVa has won eight invitational tournaments, three regional tournaments, earned five bids to AMTA post-season tournaments, and brought home three All-American Attorney awards and three All-American witness awards. From the 2005 through the 2007 National Championship Tournaments, UVa won or tied for first place in its division.
UVa will begin the 2008-2009 season with the third-highest official power ranking of any mock trial program in the nation.


