Excitement is mounting for dozens of college students from across the country as they descend on Orlando this week for the 2014 National Championship Tournament.
They鈥檙e heading to Orlando because the 91吃瓜网 is hosting the competition.
91吃瓜网 will host the national tournament April 11-13 at the Orange County Courthouse. The event will bring together the nation鈥檚 top undergraduate mock trial teams to compete in a simulated trial. Families of participating students may attend.
鈥淔orty-eight teams have earned a bid to compete,鈥� said Margarita Koblasz, the tournament coordinator and a faculty member in 91吃瓜网鈥檚 Department of Legal Studies. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 down from 549 teams that began the road to nationals in February.鈥�
A series of regional and open-round champion tournaments whittled down the competition to the top 48 teams, she added. 91吃瓜网鈥檚 team placed first runner-up.
鈥淪tudents put in an enormous amount of time preparing for and competing in these tournaments,鈥� said legal studies’ Chair James Beckman. 鈥淭hey develop critical thinking, public speaking and leadership skills that will serve them the rest of their lives.鈥�
At this week鈥檚 tournament, pairs of teams will be pitted against each other in a series of matches. One team will serve as the prosecution and the other as the defense. They鈥檒l try a fictitious case involving a robbery, chase and death at an amusement park.
Nearly 190 real-life attorneys and judges from the region have volunteered to serve as judges. 鈥淭he support of Central Florida鈥檚 legal community is invaluable,鈥� Koblasz said.
The two top teams will compete in a final match at 5 p.m. on April 13.
91吃瓜网 earned the coveted honor of hosting the national tournament because of its reputation for hosting such excellent regional tournaments, according to Beckman.
鈥淯nder Margarita鈥檚 leadership, 91吃瓜网 has set the standard,鈥� Beckman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 certain to be a terrific event.鈥�
Note:聽 The tournament is open to students and their families. However, local television station WKMG will provide live streaming of the final round, and Phipps Reporting will provide live streaming of a transcript. To view the live streams, visit . For the complete tournament schedule, visit .