Ridge Road Claims State Championship

The finals of the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 7th Annual Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournament were contested on Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Durham County Courthouse.

Ridge Road Middle School of Charlotte claimed the championship, followed by runner-up Cane Creek Middle School of Fletcher. Defending champion Wayne School of Engineering of Goldsboro and Carnage Magnet Middle School of Raleigh also reached the four-team championship round.

Six additional teams advanced into the state finals from regional competition that was held in November. Those teams were Elizabeth City Middle School of Elizabeth City, Parkton Elementary of Parkton, Hanes Magnet of Winston-Salem, Mabel School of Zionville, Dunn Middle School of Dunn, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School of Charlotte.

All total, 50 teams, 750 students, 54 teachers and more than 100 legal professionals participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s Law-Related Education event, which is funded by the NCBF Endowment.

Caryn McNeill, president of the NCBF and the North Carolina Bar Association, recognized each finalist during the event. She urged all of the students to take note of the contributions and support that they received from their teachers and parents. McNeill also encouraged those students who wished to become lawyers one day to pursue their dream, adding that she looked forward to welcoming them into the legal profession in a decade or so.

The Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournament is an educational team program where middle school students have the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of civil/criminal law and courtroom procedures. Students representing attorneys and witnesses for both sides of a fictional case role play that case being tried in court.

Special thanks is given to all of the volunteers and staff members who supported this event at locations across the state where the regionals and finals were conducted, especially personnel at the Durham County Courthouse which hosted both rounds. Regional hosts also included Campbell Law School, Chatham Justice Center, Thomasville Courthouse, Henderson County Courthouse, Mecklenburg County Bar, Old Civil Courthouse in Charlotte, Robeson County Courthouse, Rockingham County Courthouse, Watauga County Courthouse, Wilkes County Courthouse and Old Federal Building in Wilkesboro.