Challenge B Mock Trial Teams Battle in the Courtroom
The Classical Conversations (CC) Challenge B Mock Trial competition brought the regularly friendly communities of Henderson and Jackson together to argue against one another the case of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Tatum Zillias on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Both teams stood on opposite sides of each other in a Gibson County Courthouse with the Honorable Bradley Owens presiding. The students came well prepared to participate in the annual end of school year capstone event.
Students in the CC Challenge B program are eighth grade homeschool students. One of the courses the students take is Debate. During the semester, students study short stories, persuasive speaking, critical thinking, logic, and the judicial system. The Mock Trial is the culmination of the semester course study.
“All students prepare as a group for all aspects of the same case. They are then assigned roles based on preference and their participation and strengths observed in class. The students then have to argue the case twice; once as the defense and once as the prosecution, similar to national mock trial competitions,” said Jodi Webb, CC Jackson Interim Director.
It was evident in the courtroom, the students were well studied and prepared for both sides of defending and prosecuting the case. There were 10 students on the Jackson team and four students on the Henderson team.
“We had an outstanding group of eighth graders come in for the mock trial competition, and they didn’t just participate, they showed up prepared, confident, and ready to compete. From opening statements to objections to closing arguments, these students handled themselves with a level of poise that would make any lawyer proud,” said Judge Owens, who is the Gibson County General Sessions Judge.
During the competition, the performances of both teams were judged, which would later help in determining the winning team.
“The students were judged based on their performance and knowledge of the role they were assigned in the case. Some of the skills assessed were poise, effectiveness of using statutes, critical thinking, knowledge of the material, and ability to think quickly on their feet as the trial progressed,” said Ms. Webb. “There were stipulated facts that limited the case to only what was found in the trial documents. That included the number of objections, facts of the case, witness statements, state statutes, and exhibits that were available for use.”
Along with the support of their teammates, the students were heavily supported by family and friends who filled the courtroom.
“What impressed me just as much as their performance was the support behind them. The courtroom was filled with families, teachers, and mentors who are clearly pouring into these young people—and it shows. That kind of investment doesn’t just build good students . . . it builds strong futures,” said Judge Owens.
At the end of both trials, the Jackson community came out on top winning the competition. It was an exciting moment for the students. Ms. Webb complimented all of the participants for their hard work and was especially pleased with the Jackson team, which included her daughter, Caroline.
“Today, my courtroom looked a little different—and honestly, it might’ve been one of my favorite days on the bench,” said Judge Owens. “if today is any indication, the future of our communities, our courtrooms, and our country is in good hands.”
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