By Randy Page - BJU

BJA Mock Trial Nationals 2021

The Bob Jones Academy (BJA) Mock Trial team placed fifth in the National High School Mock Trial Championship held virtually May 13-15, behind teams representing Maryland, Iowa, New Mexico and Georgia. They competed against 46 teams from other states and countries. This is the seventh time a BJA team won the state championship and advanced to nationals. In 2004, BJA won the national championship.

The goal of the mock trial program is to help students gain a thorough understanding of the American judicial system by preparing for and trying a fictitious case based on applicable state laws and legal procedures. The judges and scoring members of the juries at the championship are members of their respective state bar associations.

“Mock trial is the capstone experience of speech and debate and epitomizes our mission statement,” said Chuck Nicholas, BJA faculty member and mock trial team coach. “Scripture says to be always ready to give an answer. The acting, thinking quickly on your feet, the need for mastery of material facts, and the presentation of the material in an understandable format to a jury is what BJA Mock Trial is all about.“     

Nicholas was assisted by Ryan Parimi, a senior Bob Jones University student, and local lawyer, Allen Fretwell, who serves as the attorney coach for the team. The South Carolina Bar Association supported BJA’s efforts at nationals by critiquing cases, providing hours of evaluation and supplying a generous grant to defray costs. 

The BJA team is part of the school speech and debate team which competed in a virtual format 15 times during the academic year in preparation for mock trial competitions.

The team consisted of eight members including Joshua Cancino of Taylors, Ian Hamrick of Simpsonville, Madigan Lawlor of Simpsonville, Eli McGee of Greenville, Cayden Meissner of Greenville, Spencer Nicolay of Salem, Bella Vita Sanders of Fountain Inn and Maria Smith of Taylors. Hamrick and Sanders, veteran student attorneys, led the team.

The 2022 National High School Mock Trial Championship will be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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