Stetson Law Brings Home The Chester Bedell Mock Trial Trophy For The 25th Time

GULFPORT, FL — The Stetson University College of Law Trial Team won the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition for the 25th time in 38 years!

Team members Alicia Roddenberg, Samantha Simmons, Lauren Cleveland, and Tyler Hillier kept the winning streak alive after participating in the three-day competition, which was held virtually this year. Roddenberg was named Best Advocate.

“Our folks were fantastic,” exclaimed David A. Demers, JD ’72 and one of the team’s three coaches. “It is no exaggeration that as individuals and as a group, they are among the most special people we have had the opportunity to coach.”

Susan Demers and Donald Anderson III, JD ’98, also coached the teams. A second Stetson team of Magner Tiuso, Hillary Hazeltine, Bryan Lawlor, and Jasmine Mattear made it to the quarter final round of the competition.

The Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar annually conducts the prestigious Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition for mock trial teams from Florida’s accredited law schools. Each school is invited to send two teams to the competition, which is held over three days and culminates with the final round presided over by a distinguished Federal or State Court judge.

A big CONGRATULATIONS to @stetsonlaw on winning the first ever virtual Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition! @TheFlaBar pic.twitter.com/DUFzTmiYkU
— TrialLawSection (@triallawsection) January 22, 2021

Stetson’s program in trial advocacy is nationally ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report (2021) and has a history of excellence in the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition. A Stetson team won the inaugural competition in 1983. You can view a complete list of the competition winners throughout its 38-year history on the Trial Lawyers Section website. Learn more about Stetson Law’s advocacy program on our website.

This press release was produced by Stetson University College of Law. The views expressed are the author's own.