One of UW-Superior's mock trial teams placed in the Honorable Mention category at last weekend's National Mock Trial Invitational Tournament at Loras College, earning a spot among the top 13 teams in the 68-team competition.

UW-Superior's Black Team earned five wins, two losses and a tie, defeating teams from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Drake University, and splitting a ballot with Carthage College.  The Black Team lost two ballots to Macalester College, the fifth-place team at the tournament. 

Individual honors

UW-Superior's Jeff Anderson continued his perfectOutstanding Witness Award record for this academic year, earning 18 of 20 points on both sides of the case.  Only 18 Outstanding Witness awards were given out among the 450 people competing. Mark Wick narrowly missed receiving an Outstanding Attorney award. 

Regional tournament next

UW-Superior's mock trial team competes next at the regional tournament to be held Feb. 10-12 at UW-Superior. The tournament will determine which eight teams qualify for national competition in March. A team must place in the top eight positions to advance.

An academic forensic activity

Mock Trial is an academic forensic activity that teaches students how to analyze the law and facts of a case, and to argue and present cases in a trial court. Many of the participating students are majoring in UW-Superior's Legal Studies or Criminal Justice programs. UW-Superior belongs to the American Mock Trial Association and is one of more than 350 universities in the country that take part in mock trial competition.

The mock trial tournament at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, is the largest pre-regional tournament in the nation in January. The UW-Superior team's placement in the tournament is a significant accomplishment because it was competing in a field that included the University of Minnesota, the University of Illinois, University of Kansas and the University of Iowa as well as University of Wisconsin schools from Madison, Milwaukee and Platteville.

Team members

Most of UW-Superior's team members earned Outstanding Attorney or Outstanding Witness individual nominations during at least one round of competition.  This year's Mock Trial team includes:  Jeff Anderson (captain), Rebecca Anderson, Taylor Tengwall, Mark Wick (captain), Alicia Kline, Jake LIndberg, Samantha Meyers, Yer Vang, Brandt Devich (captain), Cody Chaffee (captain), Libby Ledin (captain), Elliot Charette, James Kolehmainen, Kelsey German, Jordin Gegare (captain), Brian DeMar,  and Colin Pasterski. 

The team is coached by Dr. Maria Cuzzo, of UW-Superior's Legal Studies program; Tracy Schramm, of the Bateman and Schramm Law Firm; Mark Fruehauf, Douglas County district attorney; and Julie Johnson Benfield, Sixth Judicial District Court clerk. 

The Mock Trial team is supported by SUFAC, the Department of Human Behavior, Justice and Diversity, Legal Studies, and the Provost's Office.

If you go: Mock Trial Regional Tournament

Everyone is invited to watch the mock trial regional competition Feb. 10-12 at UW-Superior.  Rounds will be held Friday evening through Sunday morning in Swenson Hall and the Yellowjacket Union. 

Postings of individual rounds will be made in YU. The UW-Superior team coding is 1303 and 1304. Friday's round begins at 6:30 p.m.  Saturday's rounds begin at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Sunday's round begins at 9:30. A round of competition lasts approximately three hours. 

Observers must arrive in the competition room at last 15 minutes before the round begins.  No talking is allowed during a round of competition and no communication can occur with the competitors. Spectators may enter or depart a round when there is a brief pause in the competition, but not while competitors are actively competing.