Nestled on the second floor of the Davie County Courthouse, shoes and school clothes litter the chairs outside of the courtroom. Inside, members of Davie High Mock Trial set up their stations, readying themselves for a practice run ahead of their upcoming meet. This procedure is nothing new for the team, only this time it’s on a much bigger stage.
Coming hot off their regional championship victory, the mock trial team is gearing up for its first in-person appearance at the state competition this weekend in Raleigh. This will be the team’s second overall after their first victory in 2021. But that meet was virtual, and with the competition being in person, the team faces another challenge: each team member must do their questioning on the floor. Unlike the regional level, the state competition requires both lawyers and witnesses to memorize what they must ask and say to gain as many points as possible.
State competitions rotate between civil and criminal cases, with this year’s being criminal. But as team captain Grady Phillips, a senior, described it, the case itself is particularly unique.
“Usually, the criminal cases are murder trials, because, you know, that’s the fun thing everyone likes,” Phillips says. “But this year it’s different. It’s an opioid case. The exact charge is causing death by unlawful distribution of certain controlled substances. So basically, the doctor prescribed drugs when he shouldn’t have, and it killed someone.”
Such an unusual case has forced the team to rethink its preparation. For sophomore Trista Yang, it has all been about refining her role, especially in light of a few struggles at regionals.
“I was incredibly disappointed in my performance in the final round,” Yang says. “I had to change aspects of my opening theme and some of my questions.”
Despite her personal struggles, Yang feels the team has made great strides in preparing for states. This sentiment is echoed by advisor Tani Caudle.
“The team has stepped up even more than before,” Caudle says. “They have worked to hold additional practices before school, after school, on Google Meets, and even on Saturday mornings at The Factory. This team is good—REALLY good. They are truly talented, and that talent is only magnified by their commitment to the team.”
That commitment will be put to the test this Friday as the team travels to the state capital. Though the team’s reactions are mixed, Phillips is excited.
“I think whatever happens, we will do well,” Phillips says. “We’ve already done better than any other Davie County mock trial team in history, so I feel like that’s a pretty good thing to have under my belt. And I think we’ll provide a strong show against states, regardless of whether or not we win.”
