| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1197 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The mock trial team from Covenant Classical School |
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| 6 | 6 | | in Fort Worth won first place at the 2023 Texas High School Mock |
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| 7 | 7 | | Trial Competition; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Administered by the Dallas Bar Association Mock |
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| 9 | 9 | | Trial Committee, the competition was established in 1979 to deepen |
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| 10 | 10 | | knowledge of the courtroom environment among students interested in |
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| 11 | 11 | | careers as lawyers, public speakers, and politicians; the exercise |
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| 12 | 12 | | shows how the legal system works in everyday life while encouraging |
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| 13 | 13 | | critical thinking and quick analysis; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, More than 20 high school teams from across the state |
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| 15 | 15 | | participated in this year's competition, arguing a hypothetical |
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| 16 | 16 | | criminal case; judges and attorneys performed the role of jurors, |
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| 17 | 17 | | and students portrayed a variety of trial participants, from |
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| 18 | 18 | | defense or prosecution attorneys to witnesses; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Competitors were evaluated on the basis of |
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| 20 | 20 | | preparation and presentation; in addition to the first-place |
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| 21 | 21 | | trophy, the Covenant Classical team received the Team |
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| 22 | 22 | | Professionalism Award, conferred by their peers; individual honors |
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| 23 | 23 | | were garnered by senior Sophia Foster, named Outstanding Advocate, |
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| 24 | 24 | | and senior Jonathan Fredricks, who received honorable mention in |
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| 25 | 25 | | the Best Advocate and Best Witness categories; the team further |
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| 26 | 26 | | included Emerson Espanet, Elizabeth Farah, Nancy Jageman, Bridgett |
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| 27 | 27 | | Kennedy, Daniel Keyes, Ellie Monwai, Sachi Monwai, Gracie Patel, |
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| 28 | 28 | | Emma Pharris, Nate Smith, and Claire Tollefson; they benefited from |
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| 29 | 29 | | able guidance of coordinators Scott Fredricks, an attorney, and |
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| 30 | 30 | | Judge Josh Burgess; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Before advancing to the state competition, the team |
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| 32 | 32 | | took home top honors at the regional level for the sixth consecutive |
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| 33 | 33 | | year; the members are now set to represent Texas at the 2023 |
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| 34 | 34 | | National High School Mock Trial Competition in Little Rock, |
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| 35 | 35 | | Arkansas, in May; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Covenant Classical School mock |
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| 37 | 37 | | trial team have demonstrated exceptional dedication and a true |
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| 38 | 38 | | commitment to excellence, and their accomplishments are a source of |
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| 39 | 39 | | great pride to their families, their school, and their community; |
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| 40 | 40 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | Legislature hereby congratulate the Covenant Classical School mock |
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| 43 | 43 | | trial team on winning first place at the 2023 Texas High School Mock |
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| 44 | 44 | | Trial Competition and extend to the members sincere best wishes for |
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| 45 | 45 | | continued success; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 47 | | prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 48 | 48 | | House of Representatives. |
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| 49 | 49 | | Goldman |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1197 was adopted by the House on April |
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| 53 | 53 | | 28, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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