“Order! Order in the courtroom.” The Illinois Trial Team seems to have exactly that, as they have been steadily working their way toward nationals for the second year in a row.

The mock trial team consists of 30 students divided into three teams based on ability — Blue, Orange and Bears. Each team participates in mock trials where they can experiment with the theatrical aspect of a jury trial. At competitions, the Illinois Trial Team’s plaintiff faces another university’s defense and vice versa.

This year, the Blue team advanced from regionals and is hoping to make it to nationals in April for a second time. They attended nationals last year for the first time in the program’s history. Their next stop after regionals is the Opening Round Championship Series in March.

The Bears have won one tournament in addition to many individual awards, and the Orange team will head to regionals this weekend.

The multiple tournaments each team participates in have fulfilled Matthew Stuart’s thirst for competition.

“I came to the University of Illinois looking for something with that competitive edge, and mock trial has given that to me,” said Stuart, sophomore in Business.

At the end of August, all mock trial teams receive the case that they will work on for the year. Teams compete with the same case at each competition, starting in August and ending at nationals in April.

The team does not get bored of debating the same case, however, because their competitors always put a different spin on it, said Amyna Visram, junior in ACES and tournament chair on the team.

“You never know what they are going to throw out; you never know what they are going to manipulate,” Visram said. “You just have to be ready and prepared for anything.”

She added that the team enters competitions with about 75 percent of the trial already scripted and ready to perform, but the other 25 percent has to be done right off the cuff. The cross-examinations can be made up on the spot. This is because whoever is playing the witness can put his own spin on what he thinks the affidavit means.

“All the schools get a case and all of the affidavits are the same, so it is just six pages of a person’s story,” Visram said. “It is so cool seeing how different schools interpret those six pages differently and how different people act the same role in so many different ways and different interpretations.”

Alison Anderson, senior in LAS and president of the trial team, said that it is a great way to start networking before going to law school. The judges at competitions are actual attorneys, lawyers, law students and judges. The Illinois Trial Team also teaches valuable lessons to aspiring law students.

“You have to play around with facts and walk the fine line of defending people who are accused of killing someone,” Anderson said. “You have to realize the nature of the justice system is that everyone gets a fair trial, regardless of what side they are on. It is a good life lesson for people who want to be attorneys.”

The teams compete a few times a month and hold practices Wednesday and Sunday for about three hours. Stuart said the practices can be fun, but the members also know when to get down to business.

Being part of the Illinois Mock Trial team has made Anderson’s college career all the more enjoyable, largely due to her teammates.

“You come because you are interested in law and it is a gateway, but you stay because of the people,” she said. “The friendships I have made have definitely made my college career what it is. It has made my time at U of I the best thing in my life.”

Haley can be reached at [email protected]