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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The University of Texas School of Law has won the |
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2011 John L. Costello National Criminal Law Trial Advocacy |
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Competition; and |
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WHEREAS, Hosted this year by George Mason University School |
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of Law in Fairfax, Virginia, from February 10 through 13, the |
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Costello competition differs from many other mock trial contests in |
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that each school represents only one side of the case, and unknown |
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facts and witnesses are revealed as the competition progresses; the |
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UT Costello mock trial team represented the prosecution in its case |
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against a hypothetical 21-year-old woman charged with DWI and |
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involuntary manslaughter; and |
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WHEREAS, Members of the UT Costello competition mock trial |
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team were third-year students Robert Clopton and Lauren Sprouse and |
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second-year students Tony McDonald and Bryan Acklin; coaching the |
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team were Jay Adkins, a 1982 UT law school alumnus who serves as an |
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assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of |
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the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, and Ciara Williams, a |
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2007 alumna of the law school who maintains her own practice in |
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Austin; the team was sponsored by the UT law school Advocacy |
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Program; and |
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WHEREAS, This year is the first time that The University of |
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Texas has participated in the Costello competition and also the |
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first time that Mr. Adkins and Ms. Williams have coached an |
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interscholastic mock trial team; and |
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WHEREAS, The members of the UT Costello mock trial team |
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showed great poise and skill, winning each round of the competition |
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before beating the team from Catholic University in the final round |
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to bring home the national title; and |
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WHEREAS, In honor of the Costello mock trial team and The |
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University of Texas School of Law Advocacy Program, The University |
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of Texas lighted the entire tower in orange on the night of April |
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20, 2011, and displayed the number 1 in white lights on each side of |
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the building; and |
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WHEREAS, The Costello competition demands rigorous |
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preparation and outstanding persuasive skill, and the members of |
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the UT team may indeed take justifiable pride in their impressive |
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achievement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Robert Clopton, Lauren Sprouse, Tony |
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McDonald, Bryan Acklin, Jay Adkins, and Ciara Williams and The |
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University of Texas School of Law Advocacy Program on winning the |
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national championship in the 2011 John L. Costello National |
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Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition and extend to the team |
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members and coaches and all those associated with the Advocacy |
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Program sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Christian |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2477 was adopted by the House on May |
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30, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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