Wake Forest University Mock Trial

About Us

Wake Forest University Mock Trial was founded in the Fall of 2004 by then-freshman Danny Budasoff. A month afterwards, tryouts were held and the organization inducted eight new members. In the Spring of 2005, our organization was chartered and officially recognized by Wake Forest University through the Student Government's Committee on Appropriations and Charter.

During its first year in existence, which consisted almost entirely of the Spring of 2005, WFU Mock Trial did not compete in any competitions that were sanctioned by the American Mock Trial Association ("AMTA"), but instead focused on learning the ropes and preparing for its first-ever competition: a brutal scrimmage with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Mock Trial team.

In the Summer of 2005, Wake Forest University Mock Trial enlisted the assistance of its first law school student coach, an All-American Attorney and the Founder and former President of the University of Miami Mock Trial team. A few months afterwards, we enlisted two more law school student coaches, Justin Holmes and Jess Golden, alumns of the Pennsylvania State University Mock Trial team.

In the Fall of 2005, Wake Forest University Mock Trial began its first year of competition in AMTA and fielded two teams, Team 384, which was coached by Don Donelson, and Team 385, which was coached by Justin Holmes and Jess Golden. At the first invitational that we attended, the University of Richmond's Spider Invitational, Wake Forest's 384 snagged 4th Place and Heidi Urness received an Outstanding Attorney Award with a perfect 20/20 ranks, the highest in the entire competition.

In the Spring of 2006, our organization competed in the South Atlantic Regional Tournament, hosted by Furman University. Almost unheard of for a first-year team, Wake Forest University Mock Trial's Team 384 earned a gold bid to the National Championship Tournament after finishing 2nd Place in its division. Abby Hunter of Team 385 and Kyle Overs of Team 384 earned an Oustanding Attorney Award for their performance at regionals and Shelby Mulhare of Team 384 earned an Outstanding Witness Award for her performance. Three months later we went to golds in Des Moines, Iowa to compete. Members of the gold team consisted of coach Don Donelson, Ashley Hottle, Garrett Johnson, Jodie Mount, Shelby Mulhare, Kyle Overs, and Evan Raleigh.

For our second year of competition, we held tryouts for the third time and grew to a record 28 student members. WFU Mock Trial composed and fielded three teams, Don Donelson's Team 384, Joseph Adams' Team 385, and Justin Holmes and Jess Golden's Team 386. The invitational season for our organization was superb, attending the University of Iowa's 5th Annual Cornshucker Challenge, the University of Virginia's Great American Mock Trial Invitational, Harvard University's Crimson Classic Invitational and the Duke University/University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Tobacco Road Invitational. Not only this, Wake Forest hosted its own invitational, the 1st Annual Demon Deacon Invitational Tournament ("DDIT"), which hosted some of the best teams in the entire mock trial circuit.

Come regionals in January of 2007, our teams were ready again for the South Atlantic Regional Tournament. Justin Holmes and Jess Golden's Team 386 finished with a 6 wins and 2 losses record, coming in at 5th Place and Don Donelson's Team 384 finished with a 4 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie record, coming in at 9th Place. In addition to this, Wake Forest earned the highest number of Best Attorney and Witness awards, with seven members taking trophies back home. Drew Grindrod, Garrett Johnson, and Caroline Lawler earned All-Regional Oustanding Attorney Awards and Caroline Lawler, Ben McMichael, and Rob Taylor earned All-Regional Oustanding Witness Awards. Both Teams 384 and 386 earned silver bids to the National Tournament in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In March of 2007, Team 386 attended the National Tournament and stunned everyone by finishing with a spectacular 7 wins and 1 loss record, coming in at 3rd Place. Members of the silver team consisted of Danny Budasoff, Christine Holcombe, Abby Hunter, Joe LaBaw, Caroline Lawler, Ben McMichael, and Kim Phillips. With its 3rd Place finish, Team 386 earned a gold bid to the National Championship Tournament in Gulfport, Florida and attended in April of 2007.

Since the very first year, Wake Forest has consistently built upon its many successes, ranging from hosting a top-rated invitational to receiving a gold bid every year that we have competed. We hope to continue building on our many successes next year and in the many years to come.