CLAY COUNTY – Clay County Teen Court, a branch of the Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office, sent two teams to this year’s recent statewide mock trial competition held at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Team A won the state competition, placing first out of 15 teams.

Additionally, students were awarded the Tallahassee Spirit Award, which means they were the group selected by event competitors as having the highest level of professionalism and integrity. Numerous team members won individual Best Attorney and Best Witness awards, with one attorney even earning a perfect score. Clay County Teen Court brought home five individual awards.

This year’s involvement of Clay County Judge Steven B. Whittington may have been one key to the teams’ success. The judge presided over some of the teenagers’ preparation for the competition, including a practice “scrimmage” where his real-world advice and guidance were appreciated, the team said.

Clerk Tara S. Green and Teen Court Manager Michelle Taylor provided the following recognition and thanks, especially to Teen Court Supervisor and Mock Trial Team Coach Stacey Smith and to Mock Trial Team Head Coach, Kendra New, Esq.

Additional assistance was provided by community members Debbie Mueller and Audrea Stewart and from attorneys Geraldine Hartin, Seth Studer, Shelby Serig, Jim Thies, Nichole Delaware and Theresa Sanders. Plus, Jamie Cona and Angela Sheppard, members of the State Attorney’s Office, assisted.

For additional information about Teen Court programs in Clay County, please visit the Teen Court section of the Clay County Clerk’s website, clayclerk.com.

With this recent victory, the Clay County Teen Court program now has three state competition mock trials in the last four years.