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Springfield High School Repeats as 2015 State Champion
Members of the Springfield High School team celebrate after being awarded the 2015 championship trophy in the 35th Annual Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins, who presided over the championship round, poses with the team. See other photos from the championship round.
All photos by Liz Todaro and Barry Kolar of the Tennessee Bar Association unless otherwise noted.
NASHVILLE, March 30, 2015 — The Springfield High School mock trial team repeated its championship win for the second year in a row at the 2015 Tennessee State High School Mock Competition this weekend in Nashville. Springfield defeated St. Mary’s Episcopal School of Memphis in the championship round. The team now will represent Tennessee at the National High School Mock Trial Competition May 14-16 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The two-day state competition, sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, involved 16 teams and 200 volunteers, including lawyers, law students and paralegals. In addition, sitting judges in the state presided over the trial rounds at the Metro Davidson County Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins presided over the championship match Saturday evening.
The teams put their skills to the test arguing the fictitious case of State of Tennessee v. Elisha Lane. The scenario involved charges of vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment against a teenage driver, who may have been texting when a motorcycle rider is hit and killed. The case came down to discrepancies in eyewitness reports, physical evidence at the scene and the vehicle’s event data recorder. With students playing the role of attorneys and witnesses, including a disgruntled former Air Force pilot and a quirky town drunk, the competition provided numerous opportunities for participants to express their creativity, develop persuasive speaking skills and learn the basics of trial procedure.
To reach the state competition, each team had to win its respective district competition held throughout February.
At a ceremony immediately preceding the championship round, students were recognized for their efforts. TBA YLD President Rachel Moses, an attorney in the Cookeville office of Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, presented awards to the top 10 teams, the best lawyers and witnesses, the most valuable players for each team, and the team exhibiting the best sportsmanship-like behavior. The Sportsmanship Award was won by Ravenwood High School of Brentwood.
Top 10 Teams
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1. Springfield High School, Springfield |
2. St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis |
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3. University School of Nashville, Nashville |
4. Ravenwood High School, Brentwood |
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5. Chattanooga SE TN Home Education Association (CSTHEA), Chattanooga |
6. White Station High School, Memphis |
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7. Unicoi County High School, Erwin |
8. Jefferson County High School, Dandridge |
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9. Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville |
10. Memphis University School, Memphis |
Other teams competing included:
Bearden High School, Knoxville
Attorney Coach: Tasha Blakney, Eldridge & Blakney
Clinton High School, Clinton
Attorney Coach: Alicia McMurray, Holland Law
Columbia Academy, Columbia
Attorney Coach: Shane McNeil, Tellus Law Firm
Dyersburg High School, Dyersburg
Attorney Coach: Sean Day, 29th Judicial District Public Defender's Office & Sarah Day
Signal Mountain High School, Signal Mountain
Attorney Coach: Charlie Poss, Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan
White County High School, Sparta
Attorney Coach: Cindy Howell Morgan, Law Office of Cindy Howell Morgan
Sportsmanship Award
Ravenwood High School took the Team Sportsmanship Award. The award recipient is based on the votes of other teams and presiding judges. The team is coached by Ben Rose, an attorney in Brentwood.
Individual Awards
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Best Advocate for the Prosecution |
Best Advocate for the Defense |
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Best Witness for the Prosecution |
Best Witness for the Defense |
Team Most Valuable Players (MVPs)
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Back Row (from left): Front Row (from left): |
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From left: |
See more photos from the award ceremony and from the championship round on the TBA's Mock Trial Drop Box Page.