News Articles

Empire Teams Take On High School Nationals 


Eight Empire VI Teams Qualify

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

By Danielle Waugh After months of trials, state after state has selected its champion to head to the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Of the dozens of teams that have made it to the final tournament, eight are schools that competed at Empire VI: American Heritage High School (FL) Central Carolina…  read more

EMTA’s Staff Leads the Way

EMTA President Credits Staff for Continued Expansion

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

Written by David John Hommel Over the past six years, Justin Matarrese has transformed his dorm room dream into an annual learning experience for students from across the globe.   To do so, he has amassed a staff of dedicated volunteers who bring his vision to life every year.  Since its inception, over 120 volunteers have…  read more

Expanding Empire includes more teams than ever before in 2012

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

Written by Danielle Waugh With its steady and calculated expansion each year, a mock trial empire has been built out of Brooklyn, and now reaches around the world. This year, Empire Mock Trial claimed 36 teams for competition in the sixth annual Empire Mock Trial Tournament, held in Brooklyn, NY. With the largest field in…  read more

Rhodes College – 2013 Downtown Champion

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

Rhodes College captured the 2013 Downtown Championship. And they had to get through the defending National Champion twice on their way to the top. In the closest Championship Round in Downtown history, Rhodes College defeated Duke University 5-4. The Honorable Judge Jill Konviser of the New York State Supreme Court, Criminal Division presided over the…  read more

They Did It Again!

Monday, October 29th, 2012

Even Hurricane Sandy couldn’t stop them.   La Reina High School from Thousand Oaks, California made history this morning, becoming the first ever back-to-back Empire World Champion.  Amidst gusty winds and canceled flights,  La Reina went head-to-head with its perennial California rival, Dos Pueblos High School from Goleta, California.   The round featured extraordinary performances…  read more

UCLA Crowned 2012 Downtown Champion

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

They did it again. Nine months removed from their most recent National Championship, UCLA captures the Downtown VI crown. The defending National Champions bested Harvard University in the tournament finale this afternoon. The Championship Round was presided over by the Honorable Joseph Kevin McKay of Kings County Supreme Court (pictured left with the team). The…  read more

Downtown VI — Less than two months away

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Sixteen of the nation’s best collegiate mock trial programs meet in a preview of AMTA’s National Championship Tournament. Downtown VI will be held on January 20-22, 2012 in downtown Brooklyn. The defending Downtown Champions, the University of Virginia (pictured left after Downtown V) and reigning National Champions, UCLA will have the first and second challenge…  read more

Empire V Results are Here!

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

  Who did La Reina and Wyoming Seminary defeat to capture their division’s title? Who were the outstanding attorney and witness honorees? Who prevailed in the battle of Northern Ireland v. Ireland?   Find out by visiting the result page here.

Empire V Biggest Event in EMTA History

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Five hundred gather for unforgettable weekend by Danielle Waugh   The ballots have been tabulated, and the verdict is in: this year’s Empire City Invitational was the biggest — and best — by all accounts. Whether measured by the number of teams, quality of competition, or excitement at social events, Empire V proved to be…  read more

La Reina High School Crowned 2011 World Champions

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

In the closest Championship Round in Empire Mock Trial history, La Reina High School from Thousand Oaks, California defeated Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory from Kingston, Pennsylvania.  Pictured left is the team with the Honorable Judge Joseph Kevin McKay, who presided over the Championship Round. Check out the World Champs in the news: Ventura County Star:…  read more