He swept the floor of the courtroom in Jackson, Miss., like a shark circling blood filled waters to come face to face with his prey. Competition day had arrived.

Before presenting the opening statement, the prey seemed unsure of herself, which boosted his confidence. She was panicking and he knew it.

Gabriel Silva, a double major in political science and finance from Barretos, Brazil, is a member of the University of Louisiana at Monroe mock trial group.

This scene took place in February during regionals when the team competed in several rounds. They competed against the University of Mississippi during the first round.

“During competition, you never know what you are going up against,” said Silva. “Every team takes a unique angle at the case.”

This was his first year as well as the whole group’s first attempt at a mock trial. Silva is also captain of the group along with Jonathan Cobb, a junior political science major.

The American Mock Trial Association was founded in 1985 .

Each year, the AMTA creates a new case problem for students to solve during a tournament, which consists of evidence, relevant laws and witness statements. The trials contain ten members, made up of attorneys, witnesses, timekeepers and alternates.

One man made this opportunity possible for the ULM Mock Trial Group–his name is Robert Noel. He is currently a criminal defense attorney in the Monroe area and has been practicing law since 1985. Noel has taught courses at ULM in constitutional law on and off since 1989.

Noel has been active with high school mock trial competition since 1991. He is a member of the AMTA.

An idea appeared in Noel’s mind: if he knew high school students that were participating in these trials at an early age, why couldn’t ULM students participate?

Although it was the ULM’s Mock Trial group’s first year in competition, Noel is very proud of his team. The team faced several disadvantages before participating in tournaments, which were starting on the case two months later than everyone else as well as with insufficient funding.

The group was invited to a competition in Indianapolis where a member of the team Brooke Mohon, a senior political science major, won best witness. They also participated in a regional competition in Jackson, Miss., where Ryan Lloyd, a sophomore English major, won best lawyer.

Noel provided most of the funds for the competition, along with local supporters in the community.

“I’m competitive and have been in this field for a long time,” said Noel. “I thoroughly enjoy it. The students are always teaching me something new and help me stay on top of my game.”

The ULM Mock Trial plans to add an additional number of students to the team next year.

“We are looking for students with the willingness to work, critical thinking skills, the ability to think on your feet and be able to analyze arguments and documents effectively,” Cobb said.

The group plans to attend four competitions instead of two next year and is seeking recruits interested in being a part of this organization.