NASHVILLE, March 16, 2009 - White Station High School of Memphis claimed the state mock trial title this past weekend, defeating Battle Ground Academy of Franklin in the 29th annual Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. It was White Station’s first bid to state in six years and the school showed up in force, fielding two teams. The green team won the championship, while the gray team placed sixth out of 18 teams. The school will now represent Tennessee at the national mock trial competition in Atlanta May 6-10.
Two-time reigning champion St. Mary’s Episcopal School, another Memphis team, earned third place in the competition, while West High School of Knoxville earned fourth place. To reach the state competition, each team had to win its respective district competition last month.
Clarksville High School won the state competition’s inaugural Team Sportsmanship Award. Given for the first time this year, the award recognizes the school that best embodies the values of the mock trial experience and demonstrates that commitment through its actions, words and attitudes -- not only during trial rounds, but also throughout the competition weekend. It takes into consideration issues such as friendliness, courtesy, graciousness in losing, fair and honest dealing during the competition, compliance with competition and trial rules, and overall admirable conduct. It is based on nominations by other teams and comments by presiding judges and attorney scorers.
The two-day state competition took place in the Metro Davidson County Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Teams from across the state put their legal skills to the test by playing the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a fictitious case developed by the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division. The criminal case, State of Tennessee v. Jessie Chandler involved the armed robbery of a health food store. With clues pointing to an inside job, students were given the option of arguing that the employee was innocent either because he did not take the money or because he had a right to it. This added twist kept teams on their toes as they moved through the competition.
About 200 volunteers, including lawyers, law students and paralegals, gave their expertise and time to the competition, while sitting judges in the state presided over four preliminary trial rounds. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, the court’s newest justice, presided over the championship match Saturday evening.
The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) is the largest professional association in Tennessee with over 10,000 members. Founded in 1881, the TBA provides opportunities for continuing legal education, professional development and public service. The TBA's dedication to serving the state's legal community is evidenced by its membership roll, which represents the entire spectrum of legal practice: plaintiff and defense lawyers, corporate counsel, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, government lawyers and legal services attorneys.
Complete Standings
1. White Station Green Team, Memphis
Attorney Coaches: Eugene “Buddy” Bernstein, Bernstein
Law Office; and Michelle Bernstein, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs
2. Battle Ground Academy, Franklin
Attorney Coaches: Lee Davies, Schell Binkley &
Davies LLC; and M. Thomas Taylor Jr.
3. St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis
Attorney Coach: Jennifer Nichols, U.S. Postal Service
4. West High School
Attorney Coaches: Maha Ayesh, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals;
Will Mackie; Jhasta Moore, Office of the Public Defender; and
Greg Weddle, U.S. Attorney's Office
5. McCalllie School, Chattanooga
Attorney Coach: Shelley Rucker, Miller & Martin PLLC
6. White Station Gray Team, Memphis
Attorney Coaches: Eugene “Buddy” Bernstein, Bernstein
Law Office; and Michelle Bernstein, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs
7. Beech High School, Hendersonville
Attorney Coach: Bart Pickett, 5th Circuit Court
8. Family Christian Academy
Attorney Coaches: Jeff Atherton, Burnette, Dobson &
Pinchak; Scott Maucere
9. South Greene High School, Greeneville
Attorney Coach: Guy Blackwell, U.S. Department of Justice
10. Dobyns Bennett, Kingsport
Attorney Coach: Jeff Miles, Pectol & Miles
11. Hume Fogg Academic High School, Nashville
Attorney Coaches: Mike Engle, Public Defender's Office;
Ken King, Hume Fogg
12. Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Nashville
Attorney Coach: Bridgett Wohlpart, Martin Luther King Jr.
Magnet School
13. Dyersburg High School, Dyersburg
Attorney Coach: Jeff Lay, Jones, Hamilton & Lay PLC
14. Tullahoma High School, Tullahoma
Attorney Coach: Russell Hedges, Moore & Hedges; and
William Rieder, Haynes Hull Rieder Ewell & Ridner PA
15. Seymour High School, Seymour
Attorney Coach: NA
16. Haywood High School, Brownsville
Attorney Coach: Michael Banks, Banks Law Firm PA
17. Clarksville High School, Clarksville
Attorney Coaches: Christopher Barber, Kennedy Law Firm
PLLC; and Stephen Darnell, Administrative Law Judge
18. Warren County High School, McMinnville
Attorney Coach: Tom Miner, Office of the District Attorney
Team Most Valuable Players
Battle Ground Academy - Dawson Davies
Beech High School - Hunter Melton
Clarksville High School - Cari Drinnon
Dobyns-Bennett High School - Amanda Michalski
Dyersburg High School - Andrew Lay
Family Christian Academy - Meaghan Jones
Haywood High School - Hunter Burroughs
Hume-Fogg Academic High School - Alex Howard
McCallie School - Alex Vey
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet - Brandon Holt
St. Mary’s Episcopal School - Austin Nichols
Seymour High School - Nathan Johnston
South Greene High School - Ashley Waddle
Tullahoma High School - William Yue
Warren County High School - Jordan Cleek
West High School - Amanda Swanson
White Station High School Gray - Julie Roseman
White Station High School Green - Grace Kim
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