American University will host a regional Mock Trial competition in the Spring 2016 semester—a first for the school.

The regional competition—to be held February 6-7, 2016—is a qualifier for the opening rounds of the national Mock Trial competition and will feature about 24 teams from the around the country.

AU’s Mock Trial team is among the Top 1 percent in the United States. The team made it to the national competition two years ago, finishing fourth in its division and eighth overall.

Jessica Waters, associate dean in the School of Public Affairs (SPA), said the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) asked AU to host the tournament, adding that it’s a clear sign of how well regarded the AU Mock Trial team is. AU’s team is only seven years old.

“It’s exciting because it’s a very young team and in only seven years they have risen to the Top 1 percent. They’re a great group of students,” Waters said.

Typically, teams pair off in a tournament, with each being assigned to try a case for either the plaintiff/prosecution or the defense. The more points a team earns, the more ballots it wins and the better it places in tournaments.

Waters said AU has three competitive teams, but not all are expected to compete at the regional.