The Verdict Is In

Individual award winners Gracie Gargulio, Yilan Tang, and Robbie Johnson pose for a group photo

The Verdict Is In

by Eleni San (SLA ’25)

Originally published in the 2024 issue of the School of Liberal Arts Magazine

A mix of theatre, a who-done-it mystery, law, politics, psychology, and criminal justice, Tulane Undergraduate Mock Trial Club (TUMT) — akin to its Tulane Law School counterpart, Moot Court — is where students work together to compete in front of federal and state judges and legal scholars. Three teams of 10-12 students each travel across America and compete against other school teams at tournaments, then regionals and nationals. Anyone who knows the fierce and competitive scholars Tulane attracts will not be surprised to learn that Tulane’s three teams have been winning stacks of individual-member and team awards for their unique, clever, persuasive, and well-structured presentations of their case. Further, our undergraduates are demonstrating and mastering the kind of legal reading, writing, casework and tactics that law schools crave — making Mock Trial a jewel on their resumes when they apply to law school and/or enter their careers.

SCOTT NOLAN, PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE


The night in question?

A Halloween soiree and benefit for the local children’s hospital. The crime? The theft of all the auction items and the brutal beating of a security guard. The suspects? There was the mysterious young Poe Cameron, whose DNA was found at the crime scene, or the securities mogul and amateur art collector B. F. De La Porta, known to covet two of the auction’s paintings that would complete 
their collection.

While this scenario sounds like the subject of pulp fiction, these were the basic facts of the case that Mock Trial students found themselves arguing throughout the past year against rival university teams. Each year, the American Mock Trial Association publishes a fictitious case for students to dissect and defend, alternating between criminal and civil litigation. Students prepare for every aspect of a legal case, applying realistic legal principles to craft narratives for defense and prosecution, primarily by selecting from a cast of stock characters to call to the witness stand. As witnesses, students had no trouble getting creative, inventing lively characters like an elderly philanthropist with a thick Greek accent, a single-mother waitress who holds an obsession with Joanna Gaines, and a successful shawarma 
cart entrepreneur with a penchant for neighborhood gossip.

For Mock Trial attorneys, winning is chiefly dependent on style and presentation — smooth arguments, illuminating lines of questioning, and dignified confidence — and this year’s case presented a considerable challenge. There were two defendants for the prosecution to choose from every round, requiring two defense cases to be prepared and little notice of which would be selected beforehand. One of these defendants, Poe Cameron, had no affidavit to derive a background, facts, or even an alibi. Instead, those defending Poe were able to come up with everything shy of denying involvement in the crime, and those prosecuting found themselves along for the ride.

Despite being a relatively young program, TUMT gained immense traction this past year, first rising to the nation’s top 25 percent of teams before making it to the opening round of the national championships (ORCs) for the very first time.

Unlike most other teams, Tulane’s organization is student-run and -operated, affording those in the organization many leadership opportunities, from executive board positions to captainship over individual teams. Furthermore, because of the multi-layered executive structure, most members serve in leadership positions at some point during their tenure in the club. These officers work closely with several faculty advisors, including 
Professor Nolan.

The executive board often relies on Nolan’s assistance in surmounting bureaucratic barriers and promoting the organization. He takes the time to meet with students regularly to keep an eye on various issues and works alongside students to come up with solutions to bumps in the long road to the national championships.

“Professor Nolan has given me some of the best personal and professional guidance. He goes out of his way at every meeting to ask how we are and 
provide career and academic advice, and has always been one of TUMT’s most prominent institutional advocates,” said TUMT President of the Exterior Kaylee Horne 
(SLA ’25).

The road to ORCs was a true underdog story. I vividly remember my first competition, where we went into every round with low expectations. Building the requisite skill set, confidence, and trust took practice, team bonding, and learning lessons. No one is as concerned about winning trophies as we are about improving our craft, making each other proud, having a good time, and representing Tulane well.

- TUMT President of the Interior Eleni San