The Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law and the UCLA School of Law co-host the Trial by Combat, the 1-on-1 collegiate mock trial national championship. This tournament aims to celebrate the best individual college competitors in the country—and identify the very best.

The seventh annual Trial by Combat will be held at UCLA Law on June 21-23, 2024.

Competition Format

• Competitors receive the case on the morning of the first day of the tournament and have approximately 24 hours to prepare.
• Each trial has two attorneys (P attorney v. D attorney) and two witnesses (P witness v. D witness).
• During the four preliminary trials, each competitor performs each of those four roles exactly once, though significantly greater weight is placed on attorney performance. The top four students compete as attorneys in the Semifinals, and the winners compete as attorneys in the Championship Trial.
• The field is limited to 16 competitors nationwide.
• During the tournament, competitors may receive help/coaching from one person—a coach, a teammate, an alum, whomever they wish.
• Competitors may also receive assistance from a Second Chair -- any current/graduating student from their school.

2024 Tournament

All college competitors are welcome to apply, including those who graduated during the year of the most recent AMTA competition. If you are eligible for AMTA competition, you are eligible for Trial by Combat. There is no registration fee.

Apply for Trial by Combat

As students are confirmed, we will add their names here.

View past competition results and videos