Cane Creek Mock Trial Second in State

Cane Creek students stand with NCBA President Caryn McNeill and lead judge Lucy Austin of the NC Bar Association.

By: Benjamin Rickert, Communications Department

(Photos on this page are provided courtesy of the North Carolina Bar Association / North Carolina Bar Foundation.)

Cane Creek Middle School students know how to argue their case. 50 teams and 750 students converged at the Durham County Courthouse on Dec. 16 for the 7th Annual Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournament sponsored by the NC Bar Foundation. The students from Cane Creek Middle were eager and prepared to bring their best after recently winning the Western Regional Middle School Mock Trial Championship. The team finished undefeated and ultimately placed 2nd in North Carolina after a tie-breaker. 

“Mock Trial is held in real courtrooms run by real judges with real attorneys in the jury,” Mr. Palmer said. “Watching these students fight for their clients in the courtroom against other schools is better than Law and Order!” 

Cane Creek’s 8th grade social studies teacher Mr. Chuck Palmer leads the school’s Mock Trial team and explained that the Hurricanes have participated in the Middle School Mock Trial program for the last four years. In those four years, the students have qualified for the state finals each year, winning the state championship in 2014, and finishing second in 2015.

According to the official post-competition release made by the NC Bar Association, "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."

In addition to their impressive state ranking, Cane Creek students dominated the Judges’ Choice Awards for Best Attorneys and Best Witnesses from each round. The following students earned these awards in each round:

Rayne Justice has his turn to speak.

Round 1: Ava Meigs - Best Attorney
Round 2: Ansley Whitaker - Best Attorney, Ashley Dowdney - Best Witness
Round 3: Ava Meigs and Hasaan Shakil (Co-Best Attorneys), Ashley Dowdney - Best Witness

Featured Photo (left to right):
Ms. Caryn McNeill (NCBA President)
Ms. Lucy Austin (Lead Competition Judge)
Trinity Ziegler (8th grade)
Ansley Whitaker (8th grade)
Ahren Thompson (8th grade)
Ava Meigs (8th grade)
Ashley Dowdney (8th grade)
James Reynolds (8th grade)
Hasaan Shakil (8th grade)
Rayne Justice (8th grade)
Mr. Palmer (Cane Creek Middle Instructor)
Ryan Ritchie (6th grade)

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Learn more about the NC Bar Foundation.
Learn more about the Justice Iredell Middle School Mock Trial Tournament.

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