Mock Trial

History at the University of Saint Thomas

The University of St. Thomas has been affiliated with the American Mock Trial Association for 25 years. AMTA is a national organization of over 250 colleges and universities where one or more teams from each school compete at invitational, regional-qualifying and national tournaments from November through April.  Participants learn trial advocacy skills both as witnesses and attorneys in hypothetical criminal and civil cases.  In 1987 UST (then the College of St. Thomas) won the national championship and placed second as national runner-up in 1989. A St. Thomas team placed sixth nationally in 2004, also claiming numerous regional championships and individual outstanding attorney and witness awards through the years.

Mock Trial is an extra-curricular activity at St. Thomas. Participants learn trial advocacy skills as witnesses and as attorneys within the framework of the U.S. Federal Rules of Evidence.  Coaches are trial attorneys, nearly all of whom competed as “Tommy Mockers” before completing law school and launching a career.  All have expressed interest in contributing their time and talent to give something back to the program which has so positively influenced their subsequent success.

Any St. Thomas undergraduate student who would like to learn more about UST Mock Trial should contact Dr. Steve Hatting, the faculty coordinator of the program who is an associate professor in  the Department of Political Science. The fall and spring Campus Activities Fairs also serve as excellent opportunities for students to meet current leaders of the St. Thomas Pre-Law Society and to sign-up for Mock Trial.  The event is generally held early in the fall semester; check the Department’s website for this year’s event.

Further information is available at the website of American Mock Trial Association.

2011-12 Saint Thomas Mock Trial: Season in Review

The 2011-12 University of Saint Thomas Mock Trial team sent two teams to the Regional Qualifier tournament at Superior, Wisconsin this Winter. There the team of Nick Sideras ('12), Jaime Grundman ('12), Brigid Galvin ('13), John Lauer ('13), Morgan Wheeler ('13), Sara Hemmer ('15), and Joe Janochoski ('15) qualified for the first round of the National Championship Tournament in Hamilton, Ohio. This was Saint Thomas' first qualification in five years, and the team was represented by Sideras, Grundman, Galvin, Wheeler, Hemmer, Janochoski, as well as James Bott ('14) at the opening round torunament. The team was coached by local attorney Sybil Dunlop and Dr. Steven Maloney.

The team is looking to build off an outstanding season in '11-12, and wishes all our departing seniors the very best in their future endeavors!