This past weekend, the Iona University Mock Trial Team suited up and competed in the 9th Annual Bobcat Invitational. Every year, mock trial teams across the nation receive a new case from the American Mock Trial Association (A.M.T.A.). To celebrate the 40th anniversary of A.M.T.A., this year’s case exclusively used witnesses from previous cases in a setting that evoked Agathe Christie’s classic detective fiction novel, “Murder on the Orient Express” – with a twist. Instead of an expected criminal trial for murder, the case is a civil suit. The premise of “Murder on the Orient Express” is deceptively simple – a wealthy man is murdered on a train. The complexity lies in the fact that every passenger on the train had a possible motive for killing the wealthy man. This year’s A.M.T.A. case uses a similar premise but makes it even easier to blame multiple passengers due to the burden of proof. In a criminal trial, the burden of proof is what’s known as beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning beyond a doubt founded in some reasonable possibility. Think of this as around 98% certainty, though not exactly. It’s a high demand placed on the prosecution. In a civil case, the burden is a preponderance of the evidence, or more likely than not. Think of this as around 51% certainty – much lower than beyond a reasonable doubt. Now imagine navigating the blame game that ensues from a civil case – where the burden of proof is essentially more likely than not – based on “Murder on the Orient Express”. For five months, the Iona Mock Trial Team analyzed this over 60-page case by studying multiple witness affidavits, reviewing dozens of exhibits and creating a new defense case theory to prepare for their competition at Quinnipiac.

Quinnipiac University’s Bobcat Invitational – as with many mock trial tournaments – consisted of four, three-hour long rounds spread across two days. The Iona Mock Trial Team argued their case as the defense for two rounds and then argued their case as the plaintiff – the civil case version of the prosecution – for two rounds. The mock trial team made an impressive showing against a stacked competition field, taking winning ballots against Wellesley College and Connecticut College. Iona tied a ballot with Seton Hall University A, the 67th ranked mock trial team in the country. Iona also came within 3 points of taking a ballot from Fordham University A, the 27th ranked mock trial team in the country. A witness and an attorney also received awards for outstanding performances, adding to the accomplishments made that weekend. Now, the team is working overtime to prepare and fight the good fight at their A.M.T.A. Regional Competition at Seton Hall University from Feb. 1 to Feb. 2. If the mock trial team receives a bid at their regionals, Iona will be among a select few mock trial teams heading to the higher level O.R.C.S. competition, which is the competition that determines the teams competing in the National Championship Tournament (NCT). Follow the Iona Mock Trial Team’s journey this season on their Instagram page, @ionauniversitymocktrial! For questions about how to join the team, email Recruitment Chair Brendan Connolly ’25 at [email protected].