Feb 7, 2013 2 min read

Two dozen teams from colleges and universities from across the country, including a host squad from Washington & Jefferson College, will compete in the Founding Fathers Mock Trial Association regional competition this weekend in Old Main and the Howard J. Burnett Center at W&J.

“We are expecting between 200 and 300 participants,” said senior Luke Watterson, president of the W&J Mock Trial Team. “Each team has to be prepared to serve as a plaintiff and a defendant in a civil case against a deep sea diving touring company after a man on vacation with his wife dies on an expedition.”

The opening ceremony of the regional will be held today in the Old Main Chapel. Activities will then move to the “courthouse” in the Burnett Center, where the competition begins. Trials continue from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday. The awards ceremony follows in the Old Main Chapel, Watterson added.

Watterson is expecting a strong showing by the W&J team, despite the fact it is a young team, many preparing for their first “real” competition.

According to Watterson, the team benefits from W&J’s liberal arts curriculum as well as the experience and expertise of the team’s adviser and practicing attorney James McCune.

The top seven teams from each regional competition will receive a bid to an Opening Round Championship Series tournament in March. After the ORCS round, the top six teams will receive a bid to the National Championship Tournament in April.