MEMBER CENTER
AGATHOS CLASSICAL SCHOOL
NAMED 2026 STATE CHAMPION
Agathos Classical School of Columbia was named the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial champion after two days of preliminary rounds on March 21. The school prevailed over the University School of Nashville. Tennessee State Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell presided over the round, while members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division's (YLD) Executive Committee, TBA President Heidi Barcus and TBA President-elect Charlotte Knight Griffin served as jurors. Earlier in the day, the top eight teams were announced, an MVP for each of the 16 teams was recognized, individual awards were presented to the best advocates and witnesses, and Unicoi County High School of Erwin was awarded the 2026 Sportsmanship Award. The top three artists in the inaugural Artist in the Courtroom Contest also were recognized. James Overstreet of Houston High School in Germantown was selected as the top artist.
Special thanks to YLD Mock Trial Committee Chair John Jolley, Vice Chair Bridget Pyman, Long Range Planning Coordinator Ashley Tipton and members of the committee for organizing this year's event, which involved 16 teams, more than 200 participants and more than 100 volunteers, including sitting Tennessee judges, lawyers and the YLD's Diversity Leadership Institute's law students. Agathos Classical School will represent Tennessee at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa in May. The team is coached by Columbia attorneys Jason Whatley and Cory Ricci of Whatley & Associates and Luke Worsham.
Individuals interested in learning more about mock trial are encouraged to view the new TBA YLD Mock Trial 101 video available on the TBA website.
VIDEO of the Artist in the Courtoom slideshow
VIDEO of the championship round
TOP 3 ARTISTS
First place: James Overstreet, Houston High School
Second place: Sofia Jasso, Walker Valley High School
Third place: Sadie Ham, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
TOP 8 TEAMS
1st Place: Agathos Classical School (Columbia)
2nd Place: University School of Nashville (Nashville)
3rd Place: Clarksville High School (Clarksville)
4th Place: Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville)
5th Place: St. Mary's Episcopal School (Gambini) (Memphis)
6th Place: Harpeth Hall (Nashville)
7th Place: Jefferson County High School (Dandridge)
8th Place: St. Mary's Episcopal School (Finch) (Memphis)
2nd Place Team
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell (left) with members of the 2nd place team from University School of Nashville
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
TBA YLD President Judge Alex McVeagh (left) and TBA President Heidi Barcus (right) with the Unicoi County High School mock trial team, which won the 2026 Sportsmanship Award
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
BEST ADVOCATE FOR THE PROSECUTION
1st Place: Addison Ferrari, Jefferson County High School
2nd Place: Macy Poole, Girls Preparatory School
3rd Place: Ethan Sides, Montgomery Bell Academy
BEST ADVOCATE FOR THE DEFENSE
1st Place: Binyam Dunne, University School of Nashville
2nd Place: Emma Desmarais, Unicoi County High School
3rd Place: Taylor Bray, Signal Mountain High School
BEST WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
1st Place: Soleigh Keuter, Girls Preparatory School
2nd Place: Connor Liuag, Farragut High School
3rd Place: Maxwell Puhlman, CSTHEA
BEST WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE
1st Place: Chris Coker, Maryville High School
2nd Place: Levi Shulz, Unicoi County High School
3rd Place: Addison Snyder, Jefferson County High School
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (MVP)
Manhattan Thouin, Agathos Classical School
Jaxson McClellan, Central Magnet School
Austin Howard, Clarksville High School
Jesse Vojtek, Cookeville High School
Vivian Perry, CSTHEA
Maila Sarrat, Farragut High School
Ella Boals, Girls Preparatory School
Simmons Bone, Harpeth Hall School
Kyra Clark, Jefferson County High School
Zoe Dobrovolny, Maryville High School
Russell Howard, Montgomery Bell Academy
Molly Hampton, Signal Mountain High School
Ellie Midha, St. Mary's Episcopal School (Finch)
Caroline Wallace, St. Mary's Episcopal School (Gambini)
Noly Cooper, Unicoi County High School
Alice Littlehale, University School of Nashville
PRESIDING JUDGES
Thank you to the Tennessee judges who volunteered at the competition:
Hon. Suzanne Bauknight, Chief Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
Hon. C. David Briley, Davidson County Circuit Court
Hon. Kee Bryant-McCormick, Sumner County General Sessions Court
Hon. Paul Conley III, Crockett County General Sessions & Juvenile Court
Hon. Tom Greenholtz, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Hon. Douglas Jenkins, 3rd Judicial District Chancery Court
Hon. James Judkins, Woodbury Municipal Court
Hon. Anne C. Martin, Davidson County Chancery Court, Part II
Hon. Neal McBrayer, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Hon. Alex McVeagh, Hamilton County Circuit Court
Hon. Beau Pemberton, Obion Municipal Court
Hon. David Pool, Shelby County Criminal Court, Division VI
Hon. Christie Sell, Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge
Hon. David H. Veile, Williamson County Circuit Court
Hon. Zachary R. Walden, 8th Judicial District Criminal Court
The TBA also thanks Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell for presiding over the championship round.
2025-2026 MOCK TRIAL COMMITTEE
Chair: John Jolley
Vice Chair: Bridget Pyman
Immediate Past Chair & Long Range Planning Coordinator: Ashley Tipton
Members:
Paige Barbeauld
Ella Bishop
Anne Boatner
Wyatt Boston
Michael Holmes
Kate Melby
Holly Nehls
Mitch Raines
Maggie Stringer
Daniel Zydel
STATE COMPETITION TEAMS
District 1: Unicoi County High School
Districts 2, 3 and 4: Farragut High School, Jefferson County High School and Maryville High School
District 5: CSTHEA, Girls Preparatory School and Signal Mountain High School
District 6: Cookeville High School
District 7: Central Magent School
Districts 8 and 10: Clarksville High School
District 9: Harpeth Hall School, Montgomery Bell Academy and University School of Nashville
District 11: Agathos Classical School
District 14: St. Mary's Episcopal (Finch) and St. Mary's Episcopal (Gambini)
INFORMATION FOR TEAMS
All teams planning to compete in the 2026 High School Mock Trial Competition should fill out this form no later than Jan. 23, 2026: 2026 District HS MockTrial Team Registration Form
INFORMATION FOR DISTRICT COMPETITIONS
Access district competition information here.
CASE MATERIALS (TBA)
ARTIST IN THE COURTROOM COMPETITION INFORMATION
Get more information on the Artist in the Courtroom Competition
- Artist registration form
- Artist release form
- Artist in the Courtroom Competition scoresheet
- Access the rules
TENNESSEE STATE HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
Teams advancing from the district competitions will compete in Nashville on March 20-21, 2026 at the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. Click here for important information and forms for teams qualifying for state. Please follow all deadlines.
INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS
Registration Form to volunteer
Access information and forms for judges, lawyers and law student volunteers for the state competition here.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS!
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsor:
Bronze Sponsor:
