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156-407: Litigators may use mock trials to assist with trial preparation and settlement negotiations of actual cases. Unlike school-related mock trials, these mock trials can take numerous forms depending on the information sought. For example, when faced with complex fact issues in a particular case, attorneys might convene a mini mock trial to try different methods of presenting their evidence, sometimes before

312-400: A witness , who has sworn or solemnly affirmed to tell the truth. The bulk of the law of evidence regulates the types of evidence that may be sought from witnesses and the manner in which the interrogation of witnesses is conducted such as during direct examination and cross-examination of witnesses. Otherwise types of evidentiary rules specify the standards of persuasion (e.g., proof beyond

468-525: A 4–1 ballot decision. This was Rhodes' eighth championship round appearance to date. 2013 also marked the first year that the National Championship Tournament had 3 scoring judges per round (instead of 2). In 2014, UCLA defeated Princeton University in a 3–2 ballot decision. With this victory, UCLA tied Rhodes for the second-highest record of championships (4 wins), behind University of Maryland, College Park (5 wins). This round

624-516: A National Tournament (silver flight) based on performance at Regionals. The two National Tournaments, which were held in March, consisted of 48 teams each, with the top 6 teams at each National earning a second-chance bid to the National Championship Tournament, which was held in April. The direct bid system was replaced by the current ORCS system in 2008. For 22 years, the National Championship Tournament

780-537: A barge commanded by Lt. W.A. Hall, who was designated prize master, and had brought 18 sailors and 15 Marines from the barracks at Sumay . Seeing a launch from Cormoran hauling a barge of supplies back shore, Hall ordered shots fired across the bow of the launch until it hove to. Meanwhile, the two officers reached Cormoran and informed Captain Adalbert Zuckschwerdt of the situation. Zuckschwerdt agreed to surrender his crew but refused to turn over

936-430: A better experience for hotel guests. Tumon Bay has since been made into a preserve. A federal Guam National Wildlife Refuge in northern Guam protects the decimated sea turtle population in addition to a small colony of Mariana fruit bats . Harvest of sea turtle eggs was a common occurrence on Guam before World War II. The green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) was harvested legally on Guam before August 1978, when it

1092-489: A case packet is distributed to all participating schools in late summer to early fall. The case packet is a series of documents including the charges, penal code, stipulations, case law, and jury instructions as well as all exhibits and affidavits relevant to the case. During a mock trial, competitors are restricted to only the materials provided in the case packet and may not reference any outside sources. In order to prepare for competition, teams thoroughly read and analyze

1248-434: A certain point, the burden shifts to the other party to produce superior evidence tending to disprove it. One special category of information in this area includes things of which the court may take judicial notice . This category covers matters that are so well known that the court may deem them proved without the introduction of any evidence. For example, if a defendant is alleged to have illegally transported goods across

1404-487: A different venue. The 2010 Championship was hosted by Rhodes College at courthouses in downtown Memphis, Tennessee , while the 2012 Championship was held in Minneapolis. Beginning in 2013, future Championships will be awarded solely on a competitive bidding process, although Des Moines, if it bids, will be given preference during "landmark" years, such as anniversaries of AMTA's founding in 1985. The 2013 Championship

1560-423: A direct examination of the witness. Once the direct examination is complete, the opposing team may cross-examine the witness. After the cross-examination, if the first team chooses, they may re-direct the witness. Likewise, the other team may do a re-cross after a re-direct. However, re-direct and re-cross examinations are only limited to the scope of the previous examination conducted by opposing counsel. This process

1716-411: A free lunch), it is rare to see more than two judges in a round at most competitions. Unlike real law, the victorious team does not necessarily have to win on the merits of the case. Instead, evaluators score individual attorneys and witnesses on a 1–10 scale (though some states use different scales for high school competitions) based on each stage of the trial. These consist of the opening statements for

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1872-480: A jury. Guam has been hosting the annual Asia-Pacific Invitational Mock Trial Competition. In 2011 and 2012, there were 14 teams from Guam, South Korea , and Saipan in its 4th annual competition. The competition was held at the Superior Court of Guam . The teams made up of mostly junior and senior students from high schools . The Champion of the 4th Annual Asia-Pacific Invitational Mock Trial Competition

2028-531: A mock trial specialized in administrative law. In Spain, there is a mock trial program specialized in insurance law coordinated by the Fundacion INADE-UDC Chair of Risk Management and Insurance . The National Bar Mock Trial Competition involves students taking on the roles of barristers and witnesses and presenting their case against teams from other schools. Young Citizens, in association with His Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service and

2184-454: A plateau. The rugged south of the island is a result of more recent volcanic activity. Cocos Island off the southern tip of Guam is the largest of the many small islets along the coastline. Guam's highest point is Mount Lamlam at 1,334 feet (407 meters) above sea level. If its base is considered to be the nearby Challenger Deep , the deepest surveyed point in the Oceans , Mount Lamlam

2340-516: A reasonable doubt) that a trier of fact—whether judge or jury—must apply when it assesses evidence. Today all persons are presumed to be qualified to serve as witnesses in trials and other legal proceedings, and all persons are also presumed to have a legal obligation to serve as witnesses if their testimony is sought. However, legal rules sometimes exempt people from the obligation to give evidence and legal rules disqualify people from serving as witnesses under some circumstances. Privilege rules give

2496-423: A rematch of the 2016 final. Yale's appearance marked the first time in collegiate championship history the same school has appeared three consecutive times in the final championship round. In 2018, Miami University of Ohio defeated Yale in a 4–3 ballot decision. This was Miami's second championship, the first having been in 2001. Yale extended its record of consecutive championship round appearances to 4, having been

2652-502: A remnant of pre-European culture. It is believed that " suruhånu " or " suruhåna " are the only ones who can safely harvest plants and other natural materials from their homes or " hålomtåno " without incurring the wrath of the " Taotao mo'na ." Their society was organized along matrilineal clans. The Chamorro people raised colonnades of megalithic capped pillars called latte stones upon which they built their homes. Latte stones are stone pillars that are found only in

2808-482: A resurgence of interest among the Chamorro to preserve the language and culture. Hispanic influences are manifested in the local language, music, dance, sea navigation, cuisine, fishing, games (such as batu , chonka , estuleks , and bayogu ), songs, and fashion. The island's original community are Chamorro natives, who have inhabited Guam for almost 4000 years. They had their own language related to

2964-468: A state line by driving them from Boston to Los Angeles , the court may take judicial notice of the fact that it is impossible to drive from Boston to Los Angeles without crossing a number of state lines. In a civil case, where the court takes judicial notice of the fact, that fact is deemed conclusively proved. In a criminal case, however, the defense may always submit evidence to rebut a point for which judicial notice has been taken. Some rules that affect

3120-513: A team's score for testifying with information outside the scope of the mock trial materials and for unsportsmanlike conduct or abuse of objections. However, scores are completely at a judge's discretion, meaning that scores are subjective based on different evaluation criteria. In the first round of the tournament, all of the teams are randomly matched to compete with each other. After the first round of some tournaments, teams are “power matched” to go up against other teams with similar records (e.g. in

3276-592: A valid product liability claim against the manufacturer of the tires on his van (which had rolled over resulting in severe brain damage). The United States has a very complicated system of evidentiary rules; for example, John Wigmore 's celebrated treatise on it filled ten volumes. James Bradley Thayer reported in 1898 that even English lawyers were surprised by the complexity of American evidence law, such as its reliance on exceptions to preserve evidentiary objections for appeal. Some legal experts, notably Stanford legal historian Lawrence Friedman , have argued that

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3432-407: A way that the witnesses, defendant, and prosecution (or plaintiff, for a Civil case) are all given gender neutral names to prevent gender based arguments from being brought up in the final arguments. The National High School Mock Trial Championship began in 1984. This first competition consisted of teams from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The competition since has grown and now

3588-513: Is 86 °F or 30 °C. The mean low is 76 °F (24.4 °C). Temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) or fall below 70 °F (21.1 °C). The relative humidity commonly exceeds 84 percent at night throughout the year, but the average monthly humidity hovers near 66 percent. The highest temperature ever recorded in Guam was 96 °F (35.6 °C) on April 18, 1971, and April 1, 1990. A record low of 69 °F (21 °C)

3744-552: Is a non-voting member. They do, however, vote for party delegates in presidential primaries. In 1969, a referendum on unification with the Northern Mariana Islands was held and rejected. During the 1970s, Maryly Van Leer Peck started an engineering program, expanded University of Guam , and founded Guam Community College . In the same period, Alby Mangels , Australian adventurer and filmmaker of World Safari visited Guam during his six-year escapade on

3900-644: Is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean . Guam's capital is Hagåtña , and the most populous village is Dededo . It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States, reckoned from the geographic center of the U.S. In Oceania , Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia . As of 2022, its population

4056-435: Is considered to be an All-State tournament. Each year, various participating states around the country take turns hosting the tournament. There are only three teams in the tournament's history that have won the competition consecutive times: Family Christian Academy Homeschoolers from Tennessee (now CSTHEA) in the years 2002–2003, Jonesboro High School from Georgia in the years 2007–2008, and Albuquerque Academy from New Mexico in

4212-665: Is different from the national case. This means that the winners of each state competition, who move on to nationals, must study and prepare a completely different case in time for the National High School Mock Trial Championship in May. The national competition is governed by National Mock Trial Championship, Inc. Inter-collegiate mock trial is governed by the American Mock Trial Association or AMTA. This organization

4368-482: Is generally hot and humid throughout the year with little seasonal temperature variation. Guam is known to have equable temperatures year-round. Trade winds are fairly constant throughout the year. There is often a weak westerly monsoon influence in the summer months. Guam has two distinct seasons: Wet and dry season. The dry season runs from January through May. June is the transitional period. The wet season runs from July through November. Guam's average annual rainfall

4524-508: Is kept track of by the bailiff/timekeeper, who times their co-counsel's statements, examinations, and arguments. Time is stopped for objections. A main part of mock trial is the raising and arguing of objections given by opposing teams. Objections are raised when the opposing counsel attempts to bring in evidence or testimony that go against the rules of evidence. When an objection is raised, the judge may either overrule or sustain it immediately, or ask opposing counsel for their argument about why

4680-518: Is lacking in a bench trial, the trial judge will simply dismiss the evidence as unpersuasive or irrelevant. Other kinds of evidence can be self-authenticating and require nothing to prove that the item is tangible evidence. Examples of self-authenticating evidence includes signed and certified public documents, newspapers, and acknowledged documents. In systems of proof based on the English common law tradition, almost all evidence must be sponsored by

4836-407: Is less agreement about whether or not judgements of relevance or irrelevance are defensible only if the reasoning that supports such judgements is made fully explicit. However, most trial judges would reject any such requirement and would say that some judgements can and must rest partly on unarticulated and unarticulable hunches and intuitions. However, there is general (though implicit) agreement that

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4992-626: Is located on the micro Mariana Plate between the two. Guam is the closest land mass to the Mariana Trench , the deep subduction zone that runs east of the Marianas. Volcanic eruptions established the base of the island in the Eocene , roughly 56 to 33.9 million years ago. The north of Guam is a result of this base being covered with layers of coral reef , turning into limestone , and then being thrust upward by tectonic activity to create

5148-472: Is no national competition for this level. However, a few states offer intrastate competitions. There are a couple of different formats for competitions at this level. The first format focuses on how the cases are developed such as New Jersey Law Fair competitions. Students grades 3 to 6 are asked to generate, develop and write the case from their own idea to include details of the facts, issue, witnesses, statements, instructions, sub-issues, concepts and law. As

5304-469: Is normally not permitted at trial. Certain kinds of evidence, such as documentary evidence, are subject to the requirement that the offeror provide the trial judge with a certain amount of evidence (which need not be much and it need not be very strong) suggesting that the offered item of tangible evidence (e.g., a document, a gun) is what the offeror claims it is. This authentication requirement has import primarily in jury trials. If evidence of authenticity

5460-405: Is one of the largest and most complex areas of the law of evidence in common-law jurisdictions. The default rule is that hearsay evidence is inadmissible. Hearsay is an out of court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted. A party is offering a statement to prove the truth of the matter asserted if the party is trying to prove that the assertion made by the declarant (the maker of

5616-424: Is power matched through the last round. While this determines the strongest team at the tournament overall, it does not provide an accurate representation of 2nd, 3rd, 4th place teams, etc., because they might have lost multiple ballots to a strong team who placed first. When tournaments are power protected, it means that the first rounds of competition are power matched as stated above. In the last round(s), however,

5772-490: Is raining. If the person is carrying a wet umbrella, and he is wearing a wet rain coat, those observations are circumstantial evidence that it is raining outside. Different types of proceedings require parties to meet different burdens of proof , the typical examples being beyond a reasonable doubt, clear and convincing evidence, and preponderance of the evidence. Many jurisdictions have burden-shifting provisions, which require that if one party produces evidence tending to prove

5928-467: Is repeated for the two remaining plaintiff witnesses. Once the prosecution/plaintiff have finished with their witnesses, the defense may give their opening statement if not delivered before, and then the process is repeated with the defense witnesses, having the defense attorneys direct and the plaintiff attorneys cross-examine. Once all of the witnesses have been examined, the trial moves to closing arguments. The prosecutor/plaintiff again goes first and has

6084-447: Is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice", if it leads to confusion of the issues, if it is misleading or if it is a waste of time. California Evidence Code section 352 also allows for exclusion to avoid "substantial danger of undue prejudice." For example, evidence that the victim of a car accident was apparently a "liar, cheater, womanizer, and a man of low morals" was unduly prejudicial and irrelevant to whether he had

6240-468: Is the 32nd largest island of the United States . It is the southernmost and largest island in the Mariana Islands , as well as the largest in Micronesia . Guam's Point Udall is the westernmost point of the U.S. , as measured from the geographic center of the United States . The Mariana chain of which Guam is a part, was created by collision of the Pacific and Philippine Sea tectonic plates . Guam

6396-406: Is the world's tallest mountain at 37,820 feet (11,530 m). Politically, Guam is divided into 19 villages . The majority of the population lives on the coralline limestone plateaus of the north, with political and economic activity centered in the central and northern regions. The rugged geography of the south largely limits settlement to rural coastal areas. The western coast is leeward of

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6552-428: Is unfairly prejudicial, confusing, or the relevance or irrelevance of evidence cannot be determined by logical analysis. There is also general agreement that assessment of relevance or irrelevance involves or requires judgements about probabilities or uncertainties. Beyond that, there is little agreement. Many legal scholars and judges agree that ordinary reasoning, or common sense reasoning, plays an important role. There

6708-555: The SMS Cormoran (or SMS Cormoran II ), a German armed merchant raider , was forced to seek port at Apra Harbor on the U.S. territory of Guam after running short on coal. The United States, which was neutral at the time refused to supply provisions sufficient for the Cormoran to make a German port so the ship and her crew were interned until 1917. On the morning of April 7, 1917, word reached Guam by telegraph cable that

6864-532: The Caroline Islands , victims of a resultant tsunami . This earthquake was much more powerful than the 8.2 one that occurred on August 8, 1993. After a smallpox epidemic killed 3,644 Guamanians in 1856, Carolinians and Japanese were permitted to settle in the Marianas. After almost four centuries as part of the Kingdom of Spain , the United States occupied the island following Spain's defeat in

7020-582: The Chamorro language is not classified as a Micronesian or Polynesian language. Rather, like Palauan , it possibly constitutes an independent branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family . The Chamorro people settled Guam and the Mariana islands approximately 3,500 years ago. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan , while in the service of Spain, was the first European to visit and claim

7176-488: The Empire of Japan attacked and invaded in the 1941 Battle of Guam on December 8, at the same time as the attack on Pearl Harbor . The Japanese renamed Guam Ōmiya-jima (Great Shrine Island). The Japanese occupation of Guam lasted about 31 months. During this period, the indigenous people of Guam were subjected to beatings, forced labor, family separation, concentration camps, massacres, beheadings and rape. During

7332-642: The Guam Organic Act of 1950 established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States , provided for the structure of the island's civilian government, and granted the people U.S. citizenship. The Governor of Guam was federally appointed until 1968 when the Guam Elective Governor Act provided for the office's popular election. Since Guam is not a U.S. state, U.S. citizens residing on Guam are not allowed to vote for president and their congressional representative

7488-553: The New Hampshire Bar Association's Mock Trial Competition . However, the first round of the competition is done by video submission where each team performs in both sides of the case. The qualified teams will be invited to the live competition with each team on each side of the case. Although there is no national competition for middle/junior high school level, there are many intrastate competitions held by state/county level organizers: The mock trial program

7644-690: The Spanish East Indies , and part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain , based in Mexico City . The Spanish-Chamorro Wars on Guam began in 1670 over growing tensions with the Jesuit mission, with the last large-scale uprising in 1683. Intermittent warfare, plus the typhoons of 1671 and 1693, and in particular the smallpox epidemic of 1688, reduced the Chamorro population from 50,000 to 10,000, and finally to less than 5,000. Up until

7800-493: The U.S. Congress had declared war on Germany . The Naval Governor of Guam , Roy Campbell Smith , sent two officers to inform the Cormoran that a state of war existed between the two countries, that the crew were now prisoners of war , and that the ship must be surrendered. Meanwhile, the USS Supply blocked the entrance to Apra Harbor to prevent any attempt to flee. In a separate boat, the two officers were accompanied by

7956-496: The U.S. military , for which Guam is a major strategic asset. Its future political status has been a matter of significant discussion, with public opinion polls indicating a strong preference for American statehood . Guam's de facto motto is "Where America's Day Begins", which refers to the island's proximity to the International Date Line . Guam is among the 17 non-self-governing territories listed by

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8112-502: The civil law system , evidence is normally studied as a branch of procedural law . All American law schools offer a course in evidence, and most require the subject either as a first year class, or as an upper-level class, or as a prerequisite to later courses. Furthermore, evidence is heavily tested on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) - approximately one-sixth of the questions asked in that test will be in

8268-496: The rules of evidence , encompasses the rules and legal principles that govern the proof of facts in a legal proceeding. These rules determine what evidence must or must not be considered by the trier of fact in reaching its decision. The trier of fact is a judge in bench trials, or the jury in any cases involving a jury. The law of evidence is also concerned with the quantum (amount), quality, and type of proof needed to prevail in litigation. The rules vary depending upon whether

8424-457: The trade winds and is the location of Apra Harbor , the capital Hagåtña , and the tourist center of Tumon . The U.S. Defense Department owns about 29% of the island, under the management of Joint Region Marianas . Guam has a tropical rainforest climate on the Köppen scale (Köppen Af ). Its driest month of March almost qualifies as a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am ). The weather

8580-419: The trier of fact , such as jury ) in a judicial or administrative proceeding (e.g., a court of law). When a dispute, whether relating to a civil or criminal matter, reaches the court there will always be a number of issues which one party will have to prove in order to persuade the court to find in their favour. The law must ensure certain guidelines are set out in order to ensure that evidence presented to

8736-502: The "Opening Round Championship Series." 192 teams advance to the Opening Round Championship, which is held at eight different tournament sites. The top teams at each Opening Round Championship Tournament qualify for a berth in the National Championship Tournament. There are 48 total bids to the final tournament. Previously, teams could earn up to two bids to either the National Championship Tournament (gold flight) or

8892-759: The 1898 Spanish–American War , as part of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 . Guam was transferred to the United States Navy control on December 23, 1898, by Executive Order 108-A from 25th President William McKinley . Guam was a station for American merchants and warships traveling to and from the Philippines , which was another American acquisition from Spain, while the Northern Mariana Islands were sold by Spain to Germany for part of its rapidly expanding German Empire . A U.S. Navy yard

9048-486: The 1990s also disrupted the island's economy. Economic recovery was further hampered by devastation from super typhoons Paka in 1997 and Pongsona in 2002, as well as the effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the crash of Korean Air Flight 801 on tourism. Guam is 30.17 miles (48.55 kilometers) long and 4 to 12 miles (6 to 19 kilometers) wide. It has an area of 212 square miles (549 square kilometers). It

9204-709: The American period include the Typhoon of 1900 , Karen (1962), Pamela (1976), Paka (1997), Pongsona (2002), and Mawar (2023). Since Typhoon Pamela in 1976, wooden structures have been largely replaced by concrete structures. During the 1980s, wooden utility poles began to be replaced by typhoon-resistant concrete and steel poles. After the local Government enforced stricter construction codes, many home and business owners have built their structures out of reinforced concrete with installed typhoon shutters . Guam has experienced severe effects of invasive species upon

9360-529: The Bar Council, has been running Mock Trial Competitions annually since 1991. The competition consists of several regional heats and a national final to decide the winner. In 2022/23, 938 students aged between 15 – 18 years old from 144 schools participated in the competition. The heats were supported by over 70 legal volunteers, including judges, barristers and law students. The Magistrates Mock Trial Competition, organised by Young Citizens in association with

9516-518: The Biblical two-witness rule, it concluded that a single witness, or private documents, could constitute half-proof , which though insufficient for conviction might justify torture to extract further evidence. Because evidence in the continental (civil law) system was evaluated by judges rather than juries, that system did not develop exclusionary rules of evidence in the way English law did. A distinct feature of English common law historically

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9672-614: The Crown enacted the Statute of Frauds and Perjuries , prohibiting plaintiffs from alleging certain contractual breaches to the jury unless accompanied by a signed, written instrument. Another early evidence rule was the prohibition on hearsay , the admission of an out-of-court statement to prove the truth of what is asserted. In the early 19th Century, Chief Justice Lord Mansfield of the Court of Common Pleas stated: "In Scotland and most of

9828-466: The Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources has established several new marine preserves where fish populations are monitored by biologists. These are located at Pati Point , Piti Bomb Holes , Sasa Bay , Achang Reef Flat, and Tumon Bay . Before adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, portions of Tumon Bay were dredged by the hotel chains to provide

9984-419: The English common law tradition, evidence must conform to a number of rules and restrictions to be admissible. Evidence must be relevant  – that is, it must be directed at proving or disproving a legal element. However, the relevance of evidence is ordinarily a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for the admissibility of evidence. For example, relevant evidence may be excluded if it

10140-523: The Magistrates Association, involves students taking on the roles of magistrates and witnesses . In 2022/2023, approximately 2,900 students aged between 12 – 14 years from 193 schools participated in the competition. The heats were supported by approximately 600 legal volunteers, including judges, barristers and law students. Mock Trials are primarily aimed at promoting confidence in public speaking as well as introducing young people to

10296-619: The Mariana Islands. They are a recent development in Pre-Contact Chamorro society. The latte-stone was used as a foundation on which thatched huts were built. Latte stones consist of a base shaped from limestone called the haligi and with a capstone, or tåsa , made either from a large brain coral or limestone, placed on top. A possible source for these stones, the Rota Latte Stone Quarry ,

10452-592: The National Championship. The University of Virginia won the championship by a single point using a tiebreaker, after a three judge panel split with one judge choosing Virginia as the winner, one choosing Harvard, and one calling the round a draw. The University of Virginia's victory ended the then-recent run by UCLA, which had won the two previous national championships. In 2007, the University of Virginia again defeated Harvard University. This marked

10608-596: The Northern Mariana Islands, the only Spanish outposts in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, were reprovisioning stops for the Manila galleons , a fleet that covered the Pacific trade route between Acapulco and Manila . Spanish colonization commenced on June 15, 1668, with the arrival of a mission led by Diego Luis de San Vitores , who established the first Catholic church. The islands were part of

10764-543: The Opening Round of Championships. Since 2015, AMTA has released a new case to be used for the National Championship following the completion of the Opening Round of Championships. Approximately 700 teams from over 400 universities and colleges will compete in AMTA tournaments. In total, AMTA provides a forum for over 7,300 undergraduate students each academic year to engage in intercollegiate mock trial competitions across

10920-632: The Pacific Ocean, along with Wake Island in Micronesia, American Samoa and Hawaii in Polynesia, and the Philippines. On December 8, 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor , Guam was captured by the Japanese , who occupied the island for two and a half years before American forces recaptured it on July 21, 1944, which is commemorated there as Liberation Day . Since the 1960s, Guam's economy has been supported primarily by tourism and

11076-481: The Philippines or eastern Indonesia , by 900 AD. These original settlers of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands evolved into the Chamorro people , historically known as Chamorros after first contact with the Spaniards. The ancient Chamorro society had four classes: chamorri (chiefs), matua (upper class), achaot (middle class), and mana'chang (lower class). The matua were located in

11232-593: The United Nations , and has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983. Guam is called Guåhan by Chamorro speakers, from the word guaha , meaning 'to have'; its English gloss 'we have' references the island's providing everything needed to live. Guam, along with the Mariana Islands , were the first islands settled by humans in Remote Oceania . It was also the first and

11388-666: The University of Maryland, College Park. Maryland, however, had the distinction of losing to themselves in one of those two defeats. In 2008, the University of Maryland prevailed over the George Washington University in a split-ballot decision (2–1). This was Maryland's fifth title, giving them more total wins than any other university in AMTA history. In 2009, Northwood University defeated George Washington University 5–0 to claim its first national championship. In 2010, New York University defeated Harvard University 3–1–1 to win its first national championship. This

11544-399: The University of Virginia in the final trial. Yale is one of only nine schools to have competed in the final trial of the National Championship Tournament two years in a row. 2016 also marked the first year that the National Championship Tournament had 5 scoring judges per round, and 15 scoring judges in the final championship round. In 2017, Virginia defeated Yale in a 6–1 ballot decision in

11700-478: The accuser to induce friends or family to give false evidence in support of their accusations because, normally, it would be rejected by the presiding authority or judge. There are several examples where presiding authorities are not bound by the rules of evidence. These include the military tribunals in the United States and tribunals used in Australia to try health professionals. In every jurisdiction based on

11856-415: The admissibility of evidence are nonetheless considered to belong to other areas of law. These include the exclusionary rule of criminal procedure , which prohibits the admission in a criminal trial of evidence gained by unconstitutional means, and the parol evidence rule of contract law , which prohibits the admission of extrinsic evidence of the contents of a written contract. In countries that follow

12012-499: The area of evidence. The MBE predominantly tests evidence under the Federal Rules of Evidence , giving little attention to matters on which the law of different states is likely to be inconsistent. Acts that conceal, corrupt, or destroy evidence can be considered spoliation of evidence and/or tampering with evidence . Spoliation is usually the civil-law / due-process variant, may involve intent or negligence , may affect

12168-463: The case packet. National mock trial teams consist of a minimum of six and a maximum of twelve official members. The size of state mock trial teams can vary; California, for example, allows up to 25 official team members. Each team prepares both sides of the case: prosecution and defense in a criminal trial, plaintiff and defense in a civil action. Each side is composed of two or three attorneys as well as two or three witnesses, all played by members of

12324-421: The champion in 2016 and the runner-up in 2017 and 2015. In 2019, Yale University defeated Rhodes College in a 5–2 ballot decision. The decision was then vacated by the governing body, after an investigation concluded that Yale had violated tournament rules. Therefore, no winner was declared. Guam Guam ( / ˈ ɡ w ɑː m / GWAHM ; Chamorro : Guåhan [ˈɡʷɑhɑn] )

12480-556: The coastal villages, which meant they had the best access to fishing grounds. The mana'chang were located in the island's interior. Matua and mana'chang rarely communicated with each other. The matua often used achaot as intermediaries. There were also " makåhna " or " kakahna ", shamans with magical powers and "' suruhånu " or " suruhåna ", healers who used different kinds of plants and natural materials to make medicine. Belief in spirits of ancient Chamorros called " Taotao mo'na " still persists as

12636-488: The complexity of American evidence law arises from two factors: (1) the right of American defendants to have findings of fact made by a jury in practically all criminal cases as well as many civil cases; and (2) the widespread consensus that tight limitations on the admissibility of evidence are necessary to prevent a jury of untrained laypersons from being swayed by irrelevant distractions. In Professor Friedman's words: "A trained judge would not need all these rules; and indeed,

12792-469: The confession under Section 78(1) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), or under Section 73 PACE, or under common law, although in practice the confession would be excluded under section 76 PACE. Other admissible evidence may be excluded, at the discretion of the trial judge under 78 PACE, or at common law, if the judge can be persuaded that having regard to all the circumstances including how

12948-459: The continental states, the judges determine upon the facts in dispute as well as upon the law; and they think there is no danger in their listening to evidence of hearsay, because, when they come to consider their judgment on the merits of the case, they can trust themselves entirely to disregard the hearsay evidence, or to give it any little weight which it may seem to deserve. But in England, where

13104-450: The country. On the inter-collegiate circuit, a mock trial team consists of three attorneys and three witnesses on each side of the case (plaintiff/prosecution and defense). The attorneys are responsible for delivering an opening statement, conducting direct and cross examinations of witnesses and delivering closing arguments. Witnesses are selected in a sports draft format from a pool of approximately eight to 10 available witnesses prior to

13260-405: The country. At invitationals, teams have the opportunity to test out particular case theories and improve as competitors before facing the challenge and pressure of regular season competition. The regular season begins in late January, starting with regional tournaments. There are typically more than 600 teams spread across 24 regional tournaments. Each school is limited to two post-regional bids to

13416-536: The court can be regarded as trustworthy. Hammurabi's Code had some evidence requiring an oath and witness. See specifically laws 10, 11, and 12. The Old Testament demanded at least two witnesses for conviction of a crime. Ancient Roman law allowed freedom to judges to evaluate evidence, but insisted that "proof is incumbent on the party who affirms a fact, not on him who denies it" and "no-one should be convicted on suspicion". Medieval Roman law developed an elaborate grading of degrees of evidence. Building on

13572-402: The discretion of the trial judge if it would be unfair to the defendant to admit it. Evidence of a confession may be excluded because it was obtained by oppression or because the confession was made in consequence of anything said or done to the defendant that would be likely to make the confession unreliable. In these circumstances, it would be open to the trial judge to exclude the evidence of

13728-434: The elementary school level, the mock trial guide by American Bar Association suggests to use role-playing from scripted mock trials such as fairy tale mock trials as a way to introduce the concept of conflicts, trials, jury verdicts in civil trials, vocabulary of the court, damages, and the roles of individuals portrayed in the trial. Therefore, most of mock trials at this level are non-competitive classroom activities. There

13884-534: The evidence must be to meet the legal burden of proof in a given situation, ranging from reasonable suspicion to preponderance of the evidence , clear and convincing evidence , or beyond a reasonable doubt . There are several types of evidence, depending on the form or source. Evidence governs the use of testimony (e.g., oral or written statements, such as an affidavit ), exhibits (e.g., physical objects), documentary material , or demonstrative evidence , which are admissible (i.e., allowed to be considered by

14040-422: The evidence was obtained "admission of the evidence would have such an adverse effect on the fairness of the proceedings that the court ought not to admit it." In the United States and other countries , evidence may be excluded from a trial if it is the result of illegal activity by law enforcement, such as a search conducted without a warrant. Such illegal evidence is known as the fruit of the poisonous tree and

14196-495: The exclusion of evidence are more likely to be reversed on appeal than are relevance rulings that lead to the admission of evidence . According to Rule 401 of the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE), evidence is relevant if it has the "tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence." Federal Rule 403 allows relevant evidence to be excluded "if its probative value

14352-518: The fictional state of Midlands, USA. Midlands is not geographically situated and falls under the protection of the United States Constitution. A tournament consists of four rounds, two on each side of the case, typically scored by two to three judges in each round. The season runs in two parts: the invitational season and the regular season. Invitational tournaments are held throughout the fall semester and into early spring across

14508-402: The first ever re-match of a previous year's final round. Virginia again won via a split decision, winning two of the three ballots in the final round. Virginia also became the 4th school to repeat as champions, joining UCLA, the University of Iowa, and Rhodes College, which accomplished the feat twice. Harvard University became the second program to finish as runner up in consecutive years, joining

14664-478: The hearsay rule. Direct evidence is any evidence that directly proves or disproves a fact. The most well-known type of direct evidence is a testimony from an eyewitness. In eye-witness testimonies the witness states exactly what they experienced, saw, or heard. Direct evidence may also be found in the form of documents. In cases that involve a breach of contract, the contract itself would be considered direct evidence as it can directly prove or disprove that there

14820-505: The holder of the privilege a right to prevent a witness from giving testimony. These privileges are ordinarily (but not always) designed to protect socially valued types of confidential communications. Some of the privileges that are often recognized in various U.S. jurisdictions are spousal privilege , attorney–client privilege , doctor–patient privilege , state secrets privilege , and clergy–penitent privilege . A variety of additional privileges are recognized in different jurisdictions, but

14976-482: The island on March 6, 1521. Guam was fully colonized by Spain in 1668. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Guam was an important stopover for Spanish Manila galleons . During the Spanish–American War , the United States captured Guam on June 21, 1898. Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris , Spain ceded Guam to the U.S. effective April 11, 1899. Before World War II , Guam was one of five American jurisdictions in

15132-484: The island. The estimated interracial marriage rate is over 40%. The official languages of the island are English and Chamorro . Unlike most of its neighboring languages, Chamorro is not classified as Micronesian or Polynesian . Rather, like Palauan , it possibly constitutes an independent branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family . Filipino is also commonly spoken across the island. Other Pacific and Asian languages are spoken in Guam as well. Spanish , which

15288-411: The judge may offer the defense to deliver the opening statement during that time as well, or to wait until after the prosecution has presented all of its witnesses. After the opening statements, examination of the witnesses begins. The prosecution/plaintiff calls their witnesses first. Witnesses are sworn in by their team's bailiff/timekeeper. A student competitor attorney for the prosecution/plaintiff does

15444-413: The judge simply votes or casts a ballot for one team or another. In yet another method of judging, there are three scoring judges and the presiding judge is not involved in the scoring of the teams. Often at college invitationals, there are two scoring judges, one of whom doubles as the presiding judge. Since enticing attorneys to judge is notoriously difficult (as judges are rarely compensated with more than

15600-553: The juror serves in that capacity; and in jurisdictions with a dead man statute , a person is deemed not competent to testify as to statements of or transactions with a deceased opposing party. Often, a law will govern the rules affecting the giving of evidence by witnesses in court. An example is the Evidence Act (NSW) 1995 which sets out the procedures for witnesses to follow in New South Wales, Australia. Hearsay

15756-581: The jury are the sole judges of the fact, hearsay evidence is properly excluded, because no man can tell what effect it might have upon their minds." Hearsay rules have subsequently been updated numerous times. Most recently in England and Wales , the Civil Evidence Act 1995, section 1, specifically allows for admission of 'hearsay' evidence; legislation also allows for 'hearsay' evidence to be used in criminal proceedings, which makes it possible for

15912-437: The justice system and legal profession. In Scotland, The School Mock Court Case Project runs both primary and secondary school competitions, although has undertaken a number of international competitions. Currently some 100 schools, circa 3,000 students are involved. As of 2021, international schools started entering the programme, with over 16 countries taking part. Competitive mock trial functions in yearly cycles. Each year,

16068-439: The languages of Indonesia and southeast Asia. The Spanish later called them Chamorros. A derivative of the word, Chamorri, means "noble race". They began to grow rice on the island. Historically, the native people of Guam venerated the bones of their ancestors. They kept the skulls in their houses in small baskets, and practiced incantations before them when it was desired to attain certain objects. During Spanish rule (1668–1898)

16224-455: The late 19th century, Guam was encountered by adventurers and pirates, including Thomas Cavendish , Olivier van Noort , John Eaton , William Dampier , Woodes Rogers , John Clipperton , George Shelvocke and William "Bully" Hayes . The island became a rest stop for whalers starting in 1823. A devastating typhoon struck the island on August 10, 1848, followed by a severe earthquake on January 25, 1849, which resulted in many refugees from

16380-532: The law of evidence in systems that lack a jury is short, sweet, and clear." However, Friedman's views are characteristic of an earlier generation of legal scholars. The majority of people now reject the formerly-popular proposition that the institution of trial by jury is the main reason for the existence of rules of evidence even in countries such as the United States and Australia; they argue that other variables are at work. Under English law , evidence that would otherwise be admissible at trial may be excluded at

16536-613: The leg of his voyage through the Pacific aboard the Klaraborg . The removal of Guam's security clearance by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 allowed for the development of a tourism industry. When the United States closed U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay and Clark Air Base bases in the Philippines after the expiration of their leases in the early 1990s, many of the forces stationed there were relocated to Guam. The 1997 Asian financial crisis , which hit Japan particularly hard, severely affected Guam's tourism industry. Military cutbacks in

16692-410: The list of recognized privileges varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; for example, some jurisdictions recognize a social worker–client privilege and other jurisdictions do not. Witness competence rules are legal rules that specify circumstances under which persons are ineligible to serve as witnesses. For example, neither a judge nor a juror is competent to testify in a trial in which the judge or

16848-413: The local City Hall to lend additional authenticity to the trial, are presided over by real judges, and the competing teams are typically coached and scored by practicing attorneys. Cases typically have to do with problems faced by teens, and includes competitors as witnesses. Each year the case for pre-Nationals competitions alternates between a Civil case and a Criminal case . The cases are set up in such

17004-479: The longest of the ocean-crossing voyages of the Austronesian peoples , and is separate from the later Polynesian settlement of the rest of Remote Oceania. They were first settled around 1500 to 1400 BC, by migrants departing from the Philippines which was followed by a second migration from the Caroline Islands in the first millennium AD. A third migration wave took place from Island Southeast Asia , likely

17160-539: The majority of the population was converted to Catholicism and religious festivities such as Easter and Christmas became widespread. Many Chamorros have Spanish surnames , although few of the inhabitants are themselves descended from the Spaniards. Instead, Spanish names and surnames became commonplace after their conversion to Catholicism and the imposition of the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos in Guam. Rules of evidence The law of evidence , also known as

17316-534: The marine life in reefs around the island. Soil stabilization efforts by volunteers and forestry workers (planting trees) have had little success in preserving natural habitats. Efforts have been made to protect Guam's coral reef habitats from pollution, eroded silt and overfishing, problems that have led to decreased fish populations. This has both ecological and economic value, as Guam is a significant vacation spot for scuba divers , and one study found that Guam's reefs are worth $ 127 million per year. In recent years,

17472-524: The national competition for the first time in 2021, and was crowned champion. New Jersey and North Carolina both pulled out of the NHSMTC competition following the 2005 season due to a refusal by the organization to accommodate an Orthodox Jewish team, Torah Academy of Bergen County, that had won New Jersey's state championship. Both states rejoined in 2010 after their concerns regarding accommodation had been addressed. Each state has its own case every year that

17628-510: The natural biodiversity of the island. These include the local extinction of endemic bird species after the introduction of the brown tree snake , an infestation of the coconut rhinoceros beetle destroying coconut palms, and the effect of introduced feral mammals and amphibians . Wildfires plague the forested areas of Guam every dry season despite the island's humid climate. Most fires are caused by humans with 80% resulting from arson . Poachers often start fires to attract deer to

17784-431: The nearly three years of occupation approximately 1,100 Chamorros were killed, according to later US Congressional committee testimony in 2004. Some historians estimate that war violence killed 10% of Guam's then 20,000 population. The United States returned and fought the 1944 Battle of Guam from July 21 to August 10, to recapture the island. July 21 is now a territorial holiday, Liberation Day . After World War II,

17940-492: The new growth. Invasive grass species that rely on fire as part of their natural life cycle grow in many regularly burned areas. Grasslands and "barrens" have replaced previously forested areas leading to greater soil erosion. During the rainy season, sediment is carried by the heavy rains into the Fena Lake Reservoir and Ugum River , leading to water quality problems for southern Guam. Eroded silt also destroys

18096-530: The option to reserve time beforehand for rebuttal. After the defense finishes their closing argument, the plaintiff may give their rebuttal argument if they still have time remaining. In some competitions, the rebuttal is limited to the scope of the defense's closing argument. Time limits are set at each level of competition to prevent the trials from running too long and to keep rounds of competition running smoothly. Time limits are as follows: Time limits may vary from state-to-state competitions. Please note that time

18252-447: The out-of-trial statement) is true. For example, prior to trial Bob says, "Jane went to the store." If the party offering this statement as evidence at trial is trying to prove that Jane actually went to the store, the statement is being offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted. However, at both common law and under evidence codifications such as the Federal Rules of Evidence , there are dozens of exemptions from and exceptions to

18408-437: The outcome of a case in which the evidence is material, and may or may not result in criminal prosecution . Tampering is usually the criminal law variant in which a person alters, conceals, falsifies, or destroys evidence to interfere with a law-enforcement, governmental, or regulatory investigation, and is usually defined as a crime . Parallel construction is the creation of an untruthful, but plausible, explanation for how

18564-461: The plaintiff and defense, each of the witnesses’ testimony, direct and cross-examination by attorneys, and the closing statements for both sides. The team with the highest total number of points is often, but not always, the team that wins the judge's verdict. Given this method of scoring, it is possible for the defendant to be found guilty or lose the case but for the defense team to still win the round. In some competitions, points can be deducted from

18720-485: The population was Catholic, with 54 priests and 64 nuns across 27 parishes. The culture of Guam is a reflection of traditional Chamorro customs, in combination with American, Spanish and Mexican traditions. Post-European-contact Chamorro Guamanian culture is a combination of American, Spanish, Filipino, other Micronesian Islander and Mexican traditions. Few indigenous pre-Hispanic customs remained following Spanish contact, but include plaiting and pottery. There has been

18876-482: The population. Asians , including Filipinos, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese, accounted for 35.5% of the population. Other ethnic groups of Micronesia , including those of Chuukese , Palauan , and Pohnpeians , accounted for 13.2%. 10% of the population were multiracial , (two or more races). European Americans made up 6.8% of the population; 1% are African Americans , and 3% are Hispanic ; there are 1,740 Mexicans in Guam, and there are other Hispanic ethnicities on

19032-407: The relevance of at least some types of expert evidence – particularly evidence from the hard sciences – requires particularly rigorous, or in any event more arcane reasoning than is usually needed or expected. There is a general agreement that judgments of relevance are largely within the discretion of the trial court – although relevance rulings that lead to

19188-422: The roles of both side in their case during the mock trial. The winners will perform their case in the real court. In North Carolina, the competition has a different format which focuses more on presentation skills. All teams are given the same case which has been written prior to the competition and students are asked to perform role-playing on the case. North Carolina Elementary School Mock Trial Competition uses

19344-431: The round. Typical draft orders are DPDPDP, PPPDDD, or DDPPPD but this may vary substantially between cases. Witnesses may be available only to the plaintiff/prosecution, only to the defense, or to both sides of the case. Witnesses consist of both experts as well as lay witnesses. Judges are usually attorneys, coaches, law school students, and in some occasions, practicing judges. All collegiate mock trial cases take place in

19500-403: The rules of power matching in order to 1. allow each team to alternate between prosecution/plaintiff and defense between rounds, 2. avoid two teams from the same school competing against each other (Maryland Rule), 3. avoid having a team compete against a team it played in a prior round. In the national championship format, which is also employed by invitationals across the country, the tournament

19656-439: The same case and is subject to the same rules. The mock trial begins with the judge entering the courtroom. The judge then gives out the instructions to the jury (about what they are to listen to). Then if there is a pretrial motion, the defense and prosecution give their respective pretrial arguments. The judge then lets the prosecution or plaintiff give an opening statement. Following the prosecution/plaintiff's opening statement,

19812-412: The second round, a 1–0 team will be matched with another 1–0 team). If there is a tie in record, the judges will use the number of ballots and total points earned to decide the matching. This allows for teams to compete with other teams of similar skill. Of course, there are practical exceptions to the theory of power matching. Tab room coordinators who are creating brackets for each round may deviate from

19968-596: The ship. The U.S. officers informed Zuckschwerdt that the Cormoran would be treated as an enemy combatant and left to inform Governor Smith of the situation. Unbeknownst to the Americans, the Germans had secreted an explosive device in the ship's coal bunker. Minutes after the Americans left, an explosion aboard Cormoran hurled debris across the harbor and her crew began abandoning ship. The two American boats and USS Supply immediately began to recover German sailors from

20124-463: The state. It follows similar rules to that of the national competition. New York has three levels of play, county competition, regional competition, and the finals, which is held in Albany, New York in May. Before 2021, the state of Maryland did not compete in the National High School Mock Trial Championship, and had their own statewide mock trial competition similar to that of New York; it did compete in

20280-408: The students at this age range may not know the details of applicable law, students are allowed to create their own law. There are no specific themes, students can choose any age-appropriate topics. The students are encouraged to do a role-playing in a mock trial based on the script that they have developed to involve other students in the classroom as juries in order to refine their case. Each team plays

20436-461: The team with the strongest record is paired against the team with the weakest record. This ensures that the best teams do not knock each other out of the running for a rank. Rather, it's anticipated that the stronger team will win and protect their chance at a rank, while there is no harm done to the weaker team who is already out of reach of a trophy. Additionally, this method gives weaker teams exposure to stronger programs that they can learn from. At

20592-400: The team. Teams must be organized into two sides of five to six players for the prosecution/plaintiff and defense. It is important to note that high school mock trial is governed by state bar associations, meaning that cases, rules, and competition structure vary from state to state whereas all of college mock trial is governed by the American Mock Trial Association, meaning that every school uses

20748-425: The testimony/evidence is admissible. Time is paused for objections, so an objection "battle" could theoretically go on for hours at a time until the judge makes a ruling. There is often an over all time limit given to rounds of competition, called "all loss" that prevent this from occurring. Mock trial students receive an abridged version of rules of evidence to base their objections on in the case packet that contains

20904-502: The venue is a criminal court, civil court, or family court, and they vary by jurisdiction. The quantum of evidence is the amount of evidence needed; the quality of proof is how reliable such evidence should be considered. Important rules that govern admissibility concern hearsay , authentication , relevance , privilege , witnesses , opinions , expert testimony , identification and rules of physical evidence . There are various standards of evidence, standards showing how strong

21060-539: The water, saving all but seven of the roughly 370 Cormoran crew. This incident, including the warning shots against the launch, accounted for the first violent action of the United States in World War I , first shots fired by the U.S. against Germany in World War I, the first German prisoners of war captured by the U.S., and the first Germans killed in action by the U.S. in World War I. During World War II ,

21216-407: The winning entries from New Jersey Law Fair in the prior year as the cases for students to perform. Another format is to follow the standard format similar to the high school level but with less technical restriction. All teams are given the same material related to a case and prepare for the competition. Two teams compete in a live mock trial to represent two sides of the case. This format is used in

21372-413: The witness affidavits and other elements of the court case. There are several different ways that a mock trial can be judged. In one, the judges for scoring the mock trial consist of the presiding judge and two scoring judges, all of whom score the teams. In a second method, there are two scoring judges and the presiding judge, as in the first method, but the presiding judge does not score the teams, rather

21528-540: The years 2012–2013. The Championship rotates around through the membership organizations and has been held in Phoenix, Arizona , Albuquerque, New Mexico , Indianapolis, Indiana , Madison, Wisconsin , Raleigh, North Carolina , Boise, Idaho , Hartford, Connecticut , Reno, Nevada , Athens, Georgia , and Wilmington, Delaware . New York State does not participate in the national competition; rather, it has its own intrastate competition consisting of over 350 teams throughout

21684-490: Was 168,801. Chamorros are its largest ethnic group, but a minority on the multiethnic island. The territory spans 210 square miles (540 km ; 130,000 acres) and has a population density of 775 per square mile (299/km ). Indigenous Guamanians are the Chamorro , who are related to the Austronesian peoples of the Malay Archipelago , the Philippines , Taiwan , and Polynesia . But unlike most of its neighbors,

21840-495: Was 98 inches or 2,490 millimeters between 1981 and 2010. The wettest month on record at Guam Airport has been August 1997 with 38.49 inches (977.6 mm). The driest was February 2015 with 0.15 inches (3.8 mm). The wettest calendar year was 1976 with 131.70 inches (3,345.2 mm). The driest year was in 1998 with 57.88 inches (1,470.2 mm). The most rainfall in a single day occurred on October 15, 1953, when 15.48 inches or 393.2 millimeters fell. The mean high temperature

21996-607: Was Harvard's third championship round appearance in the last five years following its consecutive losses to Virginia. In 2011, UCLA defeated defending champion New York University 4–1 to claim the Bruins' third title, the third-most in the history of the American Mock Trial Association. In 2012, Duke defeated Rutgers 2–1, in what was the first championship round appearance for both squads. In 2013, Florida State University defeated Rhodes College in FSU's first championship round appearance by

22152-640: Was Marianas Baptist Academy of Saipan. Mock trial competitions in Australia are held regionally. These include: Mock trials in continental Europe are less coordinated than their UK or US counterparts, but there are a few isolated examples. In Germany, the Faculty of Legal Sciences of the University of Regensburg organizes the REGINA Mock Trial. The University of Erlangen-Nuremberg organizes

22308-405: Was also Princeton's first championship round appearance. In 2015, Harvard defeated Yale in a 4-0–1 ballot decision. This marked Harvard's first championship win, despite having been the runner-up 3 times previously (in 2006, 2007, and 2010). 2015 also marked Yale's first championship round appearance. Finally, 2015 marked the first year that the case problem for the National Championship Tournament

22464-406: Was breach of contract. Circumstantial evidence , however, is evidence that does not point directly to a fact and requires an inference in order to prove that fact. A common example of the distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence involves a person who comes into a building, when it may be raining. If the person declares, "It's raining outside", that statement is direct evidence that it

22620-417: Was different from the case schools had been using in competition for the earlier elimination rounds. (I.e. In the past colleges had argued the same case all year long, but starting in 2015 any team that qualified for the championship tournament was given a brand new case to learn and argue in the span of just a few weeks.) In 2016, Yale won its first national championship in an 11–3–1 ballot decision, defeating

22776-452: Was discovered in 1925 on Rota . The first European to travel to Guam was Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan , sailing for the King of Spain , when he sighted the island on March 6, 1521, during his fleet's circumnavigation of the globe. Despite Magellan's visit, Guam was not officially claimed by Spain until January 26, 1565, by Miguel López de Legazpi . From 1565 to 1815, Guam and

22932-546: Was established at Piti in 1899. A United States Marine Corps barracks was established at Sumay in 1901. A marine seaplane unit was stationed in Sumay from 1921 to 1930, the first in the Pacific. The Commercial Pacific Cable Company built a telegraph/telephone station in 1903 for the first trans-Pacific communications cable, followed by Pan American World Airways establishing a seaplane base at Sumay for its trans-Pacific China Clipper route. On December 10, 1914,

23088-734: Was founded in 1985 by Richard Calkins, the dean of the Drake University Law School . AMTA sponsors regional and national-level competitions, writes and distributes case packets and rules, and keeps a registry of mock trial competitors and alumni. The case packet is generally written and distributed prior to the scholastic year in August, and case changes are made throughout the season, usually in September, December, and finally in February after Regional competitions and prior to

23244-632: Was held in Des Moines, Iowa , the city in which collegiate mock trial began. The tournament left Iowa for the first time in 2007 when Stetson University in St. Petersburg, Florida hosted the Championship. The 2008 National Championship Tournament was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota . Between 2009–2011, the Championship returned to Des Moines in odd-numbered years, while even-numbered years featured

23400-737: Was held in Washington, D.C. , with the University of Virginia handling hosting duties. The 2014 Championship was held in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Courthouse , with the University of Central Florida serving as the host institution. The 2015 Championship was hosted by the University of Cincinnati , with trials held at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Cincinnati . The 2016 Championship

23556-546: Was hosted by Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2017, the Championship tournament was hosted by the University of California, Los Angeles in the Los Angeles County Superior Court (Stanley Mosk Courthouse) in downtown LA. In 2018, the Championship was hosted by Hamline University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2006, the University of Virginia beat Harvard University to win

23712-519: Was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The hawksbill sea turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) has been on the endangered list since 1970. In an effort to ensure the protection of sea turtles on Guam, routine sightings are counted during aerial surveys and nest sites are recorded and monitored for hatchlings. In the 2020 United States Census , the largest ethnic group were the native Chamorros , accounting for 32.8% of

23868-495: Was set on February 1, 2021. The lowest recorded temperature was 65 °F (18.3 °C), set on February 8, 1973. Guam lies in the path of typhoons and it is common for the island to be threatened by tropical storms and possible typhoons during the wet season. The highest risk of typhoons is from August through November, where typhoons and tropical storms are most probable in the western Pacific. They can, however, occur year-round. Typhoons that have caused major damage on Guam in

24024-427: Was started to allow high school students to experience a courtroom setting in a variety of hands-on roles. The mock trials are set up and structured just like a real court and are bound by the same rules. This can help the students to know exactly what role each of the different people in a court (judges, lawyers, witnesses, etc.) do in the judicial system. High school competitions are even held in functional courtrooms in

24180-530: Was the language of administration for 300 years, influenced the Chamorro language . The predominant religion of Guam is Christianity . Three-quarters of the population adheres to Catholicism , while most of the remainder belong to Protestant churches. According to the Pew Research Center , the religious demography of Guam in 2010 was as follows: In 2020, the Vatican claimed that 87.72% of

24336-492: Was the role of the jury as a finder of fact, as opposed to the role of the judge as finder of law. The creation of modern jury trials in the 16th and 17th centuries necessitated rules of evidence to regulate what testimony and other evidence could be put before the jury. While much of the early common law evidence rules came from judicial decisions, the English Parliament also played a role. In 1677, Parliament and

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