BGA Wins Mock Trial
Battle Ground Academy emerged as the winner of the District Four Mock Trial Competition, held at the Williamson County Judicial Center on February 28, 2009. BGA defeated Ravenwood High School to advance to the state competition in Nashville.
Students from Battle Ground Academy, Brentwood High School and Ravenwood High School garnered awards for best attorney and best witness. Clark Hildabrand of BGA and Laine Beard of Brentwood High School shared the award for Best Attorney as voted on by members of the Williamson County Bar Association. Caila Gibbons of Ravenwood High School won Best Witness at the District Competition. The association will provide three $1,000 scholarships—two to the best attorneys and one to best witness from the county competition. The scholarships will be awarded to the winners at the Elks Club at 11:50 a.m. on April 3.
Battle Ground Academy continued to the state competition in Nashville the weekend of March 14, where the team finished second behind White Station High School of Memphis. Clark Hildabrand captured the award for Best Advocate for the Prosecution and Fred Brown won Best Witness for the Prosecution at the state competition. The team was coached by R. Lee Davies, Jr. (of Schell Binkley & Davies LLC) and M. Thomas Taylor Jr..
The District 4 Competition is organized, hosted and judged by members of the Williamson County Bar Association (WCBA). As a public service project of the WCBA led by Chas Morton of Puryear Morton & Newman, there is no charge for teams to compete in the district mock trial competition. The District 4 Competition covers high schools located in Cannon, Hickman, Lewis, Marshall, Perry, Rutherford and Williamson counties. Participation in the district averages well over 100 students each year.
The Mock Trial Competition strives to give students a fuller understanding of the American justice system by allowing them to experience the legal process first hand. Through role playing as lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, students develop an awareness and appreciation for the mechanism our society has chosen to resolve its disputes. Any questions about the competition may be addressed to the Williamson County Bar Association, Post Office Box 479, Franklin, TN 37065.
