Since winning the state mock trial championship against 41 other high school teams last month, the Clarke Central team has been spent double-digit hours per week preparing for their largest gallery yet. Helping them has been my official business at night lately. Except for the size and stature of the participants, the competitions could be confused with actual trials. The students give opening statements and closing arguments, register objections with the judge and question witnesses - who must stick to a prepared wealth of knowledge in their statements. In today's trials Tex is accused of committing a double murder on a New Mexico American Indian reservation, Mauldin said.
Failure is a valuable tool.
It also develops an understanding of the judicial system. The team's witnesses are Allison Griner, Heather James-Wyrick, Alexe Lloyd, Tammy Luke, Ann Cox Steedman, Rachel Steffens, Maranda Webb and Sarah Woodall. The national championship will be held May 7-10. In addition to Mauldin, Athens lawyers Elizabeth Grant, Richard Connelly and Phillip Griffith and University of Georgia law professor Tom Eaton have assisted Clarke Central teacher George Harwood coach the team. Mauldin thanked the public for their emotional and financial support of the team.