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UGA SWEEPS REGIONAL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION & HEADS TO NATIONALS AS DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

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Monday, March 9, 1998

WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172

CONTACT: Ralph Powell, (706) 548-1128

UGA SWEEPS REGIONAL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION & HEADS TO NATIONALS AS DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

(ATHENS, Ga.) -- The University of Georgia School of Law will defend its national title in the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) Mock Trial Competition March 26-29 in Washington, D.C. UGA secured its berths in the national finals by sweeping the regional tournament, held this past weekend, for the second consecutive year in a row.

UGA's two teams were named co-champions of the region and will now compete in a national field of 24 teams, comprised of the finalists from each of 12 regions.

"The ATLA tournament is one of the most respected and competitive mock trial tournaments in the country," said Ralph Powell, mock trial coach. "It's an incredible feat for our students to repeat their performance of last year, which ultimately led to our law school capturing its first national mock trial title. I'm equally confident of our teams' chances this year. Their intense preparation was demonstrated by the quality of their performance in the regionals, and I know they'll be ready to face the strong competition at the national level."

The UGA teams posted near-perfect records in the competition, which included teams from 16 law schools. One UGA team - consisting of third-year student Kriste Richardson and second-year student Alan Gibson, who acted as attorneys, and second-year students Beth Threadgill and Karen Tyler, who acted as witnesses - defeated teams from Tennessee, Memphis and George Washington University en route to the regional finals. The other team - consisting of third-year students Sean Hynes, Leslie Pickett and Andy Childers and second-year student Marcy Hanks, who rotated the roles of attorneys and witnesses depending on the side of the case drawn in each match-up -- defeated teams from Baltimore, Memphis and Toledo. Both teams were victorious over competitors from Georgetown in the final round.

The hypothetical case dealt with a medical malpractice suit.

The national competition begins with a reception hosted by a justice of the Supreme Court in the U.S. Supreme Court Building.

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