National Trial Competition (NTC): The national competition is co-sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers (TYLA) and the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). There are 15 geographic regions set by TYLA. Each region will send two representatives to the national tournament which rotates between the major cities in Texas — Austin, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. Schools may enter one or two teams. The regional competitions are usually one of the first three weeks in February. The national tournament is generally in late March or early April. The regional problem is a different fact pattern than the national problem.
FORMAT: Each regional competition is hosted by one of the law schools. The regional competition format consists of at least three (3) preliminary rounds. Regional hosts will be free to decide how to handle witnesses, according to the options in the rules, but teams advancing to the finals in Texas will be required to bring witnesses for the witness pool. The top-two teams from each region advance to the national tournament. It is possible that the top-two teams are from the same school. The rules of the competition can be found at www.tyla.org/ntc.
DATE: Regionals — early to mid-February. Nationals — mid-March to mid-April
APPLICATIONS: Applications are open in early September until November. The entry fee is $500 per team.
CONTACT: TYLA or Bree Trevino directly
American Association for Justice (AAJ): AAJ’s Student Trial Advocacy Competition (STAC) is the other open admission national competition along with NTC. Beginning in 2022, this competition will have 10 regionals that move around the country to allow schools to not travel far yet still face different competition than the preset NTC regionals. The regional competition and the national competition use the same fact pattern. The fact pattern is always civil. The national finals locale varies from year to year as well. In 2018 it was in Raleigh, North Carolina and 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. Santa Monica and New Orleans have also served as national host cities as well. Schools may enter one or two teams depending on how early they register once registration opens.
FORMAT: Each region has precisely 16 teams. There are three randomly paired preliminary rounds then cut to semi-finals. Since 2002, only the regional champion goes to nationals. Returning in 2022, two teams from each region will go to nationals
DATE: The regional is usually the first or second weekend in March. All regionals are the same weekend. The national finals are in late March or early April. Regional assignments are released in January. The problem is usually released in late December or early January.
APPLICATIONS: Applications are open in mid-September until November. Advocates must join AAJ to compete.
CONTACT: AAJ or for more information go here.
South Texas Challenge: One of the best competitions around. Usually a large field. The teams are scored by ranking the advocates 1-4. Also, there is a trial brief that is part of the competition. Three preliminary rounds and then a hidden Octo-final so every team gets four rounds. Entry Fee is $500.
DATE: March 24-27, 2022. This competition will be in person.
APPLICATIONS: Opened up in December. Open indefinitely.
CONTACT: Rob Galloway or Haley Stenhouse
The Crimson Cup: Hosted by Harvard Law School, the 2023 competition will be its inaugural tournament. This in-person tournament will be on the law school campus. The competition will consist of 4 preliminary rounds for all competitors and a Final Round for the top two teams. Up to 4 students may compete on each team. During the Preliminary Rounds, all teams will provide their own witnesses. Each side in the Final Round will have an additional, mandatory witness provided by HLSMTA. Additional information on the tournament will be provided to all registered teams.
DATE: THIS COMPETITION IS NOT HAPPENING IN 2024. IT MAY RETURN IN 2025.
APPLICATIONS: Registration is open now. Registered teams will be admitted on a first-come, first-served model. If you’d to attend, please reach out to the address below.
CONTACT: Harvard Law School Mock Trial Association harvardcrimsoncup@gmail.com
Southern Classic Trial Advocacy Competition: Hosted by the University of Mississippi Trial Advocacy Board this competition is now in its third year. For 2022 the plan is to have the preliminary rounds online in early January and the semi-finals and finals in person in Oxford, Mississippi the second weekend of February. THIS COMPETITION WILL NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2023.
DATE: January 7-9 and February 11-13
APPLICATIONS: For 2022 competition were due by October 30, 2021
CONTACT: Ole Miss Trial Ad Board
John L. Costello National Criminal Law Trial Competition: Hosted by George Mason this annual competition is unique in that teams only try one side of the case and are not given all the information in the packet. The competition also reveals facts and witnesses as the competition progresses. This competition also uses Virginia Rules of Evidence and the Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure. The interesting aspect is that the best state team faces the best defense team in the final, so it is possible for the finals to be a repeat of the semi-finals as was the case in 2022. For more information go to https://sls.gmu.edu/trialad/costello/
DATE: February 9-12, 2023
APPLICATIONS: Open from mid-September through November.
CONTACT: George Mason Law School or Annette Yospe at gmusltrialad@gmu.edu
Queens County District Attorney’s Office Trial Competition: Now in its 7th year this competition is housed at the Queens County Courthouse in New York. Traditionally a fall competition this competition was moved to the spring for the 2021-2022 year. Only second year law students are eligible to compete. There are 2 preliminary rounds before it cuts to quarter-finals. The registration fee is $500. The 2022 competition will be in person.
DATE: March 4-6, 2022
APPLICATION: Closed October 15, 2021
CONTACT: QDA Mock Trial
Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition: Although hosted by George Washington Law School in DC this competition is held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a two-day competition with two preliminary rounds then cut to semi-finals. Usually held in April.
DATE: April 2-3, 2022
APPLICATIONS: Priority deadline is January 2, 2022
CONTACT: George Washington University Law School or Estrella, LLC
Florida National Trial Advocacy Tournament: Hosted by the University of Florida this competition used to be in the fall but was moved because of COVID. This competition traditionally has been a criminal case. The winning team wins a really cool alligator trophy. They are expecting up to 12 teams to compete.
DATE: It will be February 25-27, 2022 and will be virtual.
APPLICATIONS: Open until January 7, 2022.
CONTACT: Janeil Morgan or Prof. Jennifer Zedalis
Trials & Tribulations National Trial Competition: Hosted by the University of South Carolina this is the third edition of this unique competition and will move into March 2023. This competition is unique in that all trials are bench trials, but each team tries a case against each team in its division. Lots of trials.
FORMAT: True round robin for each division. In 2021, each team had six preliminary round trials. The two division winners faced off in the finals.
DATE: March 8-12, 2023.
APPLICATIONS: Applications are open late December until early January.
CONTACT: Brett Bayne
Top Gun: Baylor Law school hosts this invitation only tournament and it is a very unique competition. Teams consist of one law student as an advocate and one as a co-counsel, but only to help with technology. It is a mono-a-mono competition. To make matters worse the fact pattern is not released until 24 before the competition begins. The winner of this competition deserves the title Top Gun. It is a fun, but exhausting experience for everyone involved. 16 schools are invited to compete.
FORMAT: There are four preliminary rounds. The first two the trials only have one live witness on each side. The third and fourth round are power-matched (the fourth round to the extent possible) so that each advocate represents both sided twice in the preliminary rounds. The third and fourth rounds have two live witnesses. The Semi-finals and finals the advocates are allowed three live witnesses. The cut is from 16 to 4 after the fourth round. There is a celebration/introduction dinner on Wednesday night. The problem is handed out early Thursday morning in an elaborate unveiling. Teams have all day to prepare. Rounds 1 & 2 are on Friday. Rounds 3 & 4 on Saturday. Semi-finals and finals on Sunday.
DATE: Usually the first weekend in June.
APPLICATIONS: Baylor selects there is no application. Schools may submit resume’s of their success over the academic year, but it is not required.
CONTACT: Kathy Serr