Chris Leapley, mock trial coach, pre-law advisor and instructor in the Department of Political Science, said it was one of his goals when he was hired three years ago to expand the mock trial to include moot court.
“While the two activities are similar in that they each simulate phases of the American legal system, they are wholly distinct from one another and require a completely different set of skills,” he said, explaining he was active in moot court in law school and wanted to bring those experiences to the university.
“But I also knew that starting the two programs simultaneously would not have been beneficial, as realistically, they are both recruiting from the same small group of students.”
A typical mock trial team consists of 10-12 students, while moot court only requires teams of two.
Both teams require preparation during the fall semesters, so the launch of moot court also serves as a test to see if the university can find a training program to prep both teams “without jeopardizing the students’ other obligations.”
To have both teams at a university of Wittenberg’s size, Leapley said it was about finding the right time and interested set of students, so he looked for captains on the mock trial team and proposed a soft launch of a moot court team.
Emma Gearhart, sociology major pursuing minors in justice, law, and public policy and business, and Andon Peacock, political science major, stepped up for the moot court team and competed in the regional round of the national tournament in November.
In that tournament, 32 teams competed for eight spots, with Wittenberg beating out one college and losing in close matches to two others.
“We are going to continue promoting moot court next year alongside mock trial,” Leapley said.
The mock trail team was revived in 2023 under the direction of Leapley, a local attorney, and in partnership with the Department of Political Science and the Office of the Provost.
For more information or to join, contact Leapley at leapleyc@wittenberg.edu.
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