John L. Costello National Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition

The 2026 Costello Competition will be held February 13-15, 2026

Registration for the Sixteenth Annual John L. Costello National Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition has closed. The competition will feature 28 teams from across the country. All are welcome to attend and spectate.

Venue Information and Schedule

The competition will take place on February 13-15, 2026 at the Scalia Law School (3301 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22201.) The first three rounds on Friday and Saturday are mandatory for all teams, but the last two on Sunday are “playoff” rounds, a semifinal and a final. The round times are as follows:
      • Round One, Friday, February 13, 2026 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm (Check-in starts at 5:00pm in the Hazel Hall Atrium, teams must be present by 5:30pm)
      • Round Two, Saturday, February 14, 2026 from 9:00am to 12:00pm (Check-in starts at 8:00am in the Hazel Hall Atrium, teams must be present by 8:30am)
      • Round Three, Saturday, February 14, 2026 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (Check-in starts at 2:00pm in the Hazel Hall Atrium, teams must be present by 2:30pm)
      • Semifinal, Sunday, February 15, 2026 from 9:00am to 12:00pm (Check-in starts at 8:00am in the Hazel Hall Atrium, teams must be present by 8:30am)
      • Final, Sunday, February 15, 2025 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (To be held in Arlington County Courthouse, check-in times to be announced)
After Round Three on Saturday we will also have a reception in our school’s atrium that all teams and coaches are encouraged to attend.

Hotel Booking

A discounted group rate has been secured at the Hilton Garden Inn in Arlington, conveniently located steps away from the Courthouse Metro Station and just one or two quick stops from campus (depending on which stop you get off at). This location provides easy access to George Mason University and surrounding areas.

Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and we encourage you to book early. The rate is available for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If any teams need to stay in the hotel on Sunday, please let us know and I can work with the hotel to get the group rate extended.

Hotel Block Booking Link:

https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=DCAARGI&arrivalDate=2026-02-12&departureDate=2026-02-15&groupCode=91I&room1NumAdults=1&cid=OM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink

The Problem

Deep within the treacherous Drummond Swamp, a university’s championship aspirations collide with a chilling act of violence in the case of State of Masonia v. Elliott Brohm. This year’s Costello problem invites advocates to unravel a complex narrative of jealousy, journalistic integrity, and collegiate life. When star lacrosse captain Blake Morgan is found murdered following a secret, rule-breaking team party, the investigation centers on Elliott Brohm, an ambitious student reporter whose obsession with a career-making headline—and his ex-girlfriend—may have crossed a lethal line. As the specter of a legendary serial killer haunts the courtroom and forensic evidence clashes with circumstantial evidence, teams will have to argue whether Brohm is a calculated killer or merely a convenient scapegoat caught in the wrong place at the worst possible time. Prepare for a trial where the truth is as murky as the swamp itself.

The problem this year was sent to all teams on January 1, 2026. Please click here to access the Google Drive containing the problem. Any additional evidence will be posted in that Google Drive.

General Information about the Costello Competition

The Costello Competition is uniquely designed by Judge Jonathan Thacher to take participants outside the typical realms of law school competitions. By revealing unknown facts and witnesses as the competition progresses, the Costello Competition simulates the evolving and unexpected nature of real-life criminal trials. This dynamic design provides competitors with a realistic experience as counsel in a criminal trial and an exciting take on trial advocacy. All competition judges are local judges and practitioners, making the competition as realistic as possible. Competitors will use the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Competing schools will be permitted to send at least one team to the Costello Competition. Competitors are side-restricted and teams must consist of only two competitors. Competing schools must also provide one witness per team. Scalia Law Trial Ad will provide all judges and remaining witnesses for the competition. If, for whatever reason, all available slots do not fill up, then schools will be able to register additional teams on a first-come first-serve basis. The application to register for Costello Competition was posted on October 26, 2025.

For any additional questions or information, please contact Michael Loftus at [email protected].