The Faulkner County Courthouse will host an Arkansas Bar Association regional mock trial competition Saturday.

The first match begins at 9 a.m., and the final match begins at 3 p.m.

The competition in Conway is one of four regional competitions taking place in the state Saturday.

More than 220 students will meet in the single-elimination tournament statewide.

First time competitors include Arkansas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Jacksonville Lighthouse Academies, Little Rock Catholic High School, Mount St. Mary Academy, and Sheridan High School. Veteran teams returning to competition this year include Forrest City High School, Hope High School, Izard County Consolidated High School, Jonesboro High School, Little Rock Central High School, Marked Tree High School, Monticello High School, Nettleton High School, Parkview High School, Springdale Har-Ber High School, Springdale High School, and Tuckerman High School.

High school students will play the roles of attorneys and witnesses to present a civil case to lawyers and judges, who will score them on several criteria. Students will determine which side they will represent (plaintiff or defendant) in the first round competition through a random drawing during orientation at their regional location.

There will be two winners from each regional competition.

The eight winners will compete in the state competition at the Pulaski County Courthouse March 9 for a chance to represent Arkansas at the national event in Indianapolis May 9-11.

Little Rock Central High School won last year’s statewide competition.

Many lawyers and teachers from across the state meet with the students for several months to prepare them for the competition. The Mock Trial case is released in October each year. Funding for these events is provided by the Arkansas Bar Association, Arkansas Bar Foundation, and Annual Sponsors. Additional resources for teachers were made available this year in part from funding from the Craighead County Community Foundation and the Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation, an affiliate office of the Arkansas Community Foundation, Inc. The Arkansas Bar Association is a voluntary, statewide organization with more than 5,000 members. Among its purposes are the advancement of the administration of justice and the fostering among its members high ideals of integrity, learning and public service. For more information on the mock trial competition visit http://www.arkbar.com/pages/mock_trial.aspx