Syracuse University hosts American Mock Trial Association regional tournament

Syracuse University hosts American Mock Trial Association regional tournamentFebruary 10, 2009Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

Note to editors: Information about the location of the elimination rounds will be available during the event by calling Julia Joyce at (315) 317-5856.

Syracuse University’s award-winning undergraduate mock trial team will battle 20 teams from 13 colleges and universities during the Third Annual Finger Lakes Regional American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Tournament, Feb. 13-15, hosted by SU. Noted area attorneys and judges will judge the competition.

The event is free and open to the public. Paid parking is available in the Irving Garage on Irving Avenue. The competition schedule is available on the Web at http://ilearn.syr.edu/pgm_mocktr_trn09.htm.

The event will be held at various locations on the SU campus as the teams square off during four elimination rounds, the final of which will be held Sunday, Feb. 15, from 3-6 p.m. The teams will be arguing Walton v. Blitz New Network. The awards ceremony will be held from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Sunday in Grant Auditorium.

Along with SU, participating institutions are Cornell, St. Bonaventure, Binghamton and Penn State universities; Amherst, Hamilton, Siena, Canisius, Holy Cross and Buffalo State colleges; as well as the SUNY Colleges at Fredonia and Geneseo; and the University of Rochester.

The SU Mock Trial Team is sponsored by the iLearn Program in The College of Arts and Sciences. Team members are selected and coached during the fall semester by SU alumni trial attorneys and compete in the spring round of AMTA-sponsored tournaments. Further information about the team is available on the Web at http://ilearn.syr.edu/pgm_mocktrial.htm.

The iLearn Program supports a variety of innovative educational programs, including the Soling Program, the Allport Program, the Undergraduate Research Program and the Ruth Meyer Scholars.