Mock trial
Encyclopedia
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial
. It is similar to a moot court
, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court
hearings. Attorneys
preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or experiment with each other. In a mock trial normal rules of court are often abbreviated in order to focus on particular parts of the trial. Mock Trial is also the name of an extracurricular program in which student
s participate in rehearsed trials to learn new skills and compete with each other. At some law schools, the term trial advocacy is used for the program. Various organizations, such as state bar association
s, sponsor Mock Trial/trial advocacy competitions for middle school
students, high school
students, college
students, and law
students.
Interscholastic mock trials take place on three levels. High-school competitive mock trial has an annual national competition governed by National Mock Trial Championship, Inc. and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The competition on the college circuit is governed by the American Mock Trial Association. The college circuit also has an online forum at Perjuries Mock Trial AMTA Forum. Finally, there is mock trial/trial advocacy at the Law School level such as the National Trial Competition hosted by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers
.
.
Teams have to study and analyze this information and form their case by the time of competition, typically held in winter to early spring. Each state has its own case every year that is different than the national case. This means that the winners of the state competitions, who move on to nationals, must study and prepare a completely different case in time for the National High School Mock Trial Competition in May.
The teams consist of a maximum of eight official members. These eight members must be organized into two teams of six for the prosecution/plaintiff and defense sides. Both of these six-member sub teams consist of three attorneys and three witnesses.
The mock trial begins with the judge entering the courtroom. The judge then gives out the instructions to the jury (about what they are to listen to). The judge then lets the prosecution or plaintiff give an opening statement followed by the opening statement of the defense. After the opening statements, examination of the witnesses begins. The prosecution/plaintiff calls their witnesses first. A student competitor attorney for the prosecution/plaintiff does a direct examination of the witness. Once the direct examination is complete, the opposing team may cross-examine the witness. After the cross-examination, if the first team chooses, they may redirect the witness and, likewise, the other team may do a re-cross after this. This process is repeated for the two remaining plaintiff witnesses. Once the prosecution/plaintiff has finished with their witnesses, the process is repeated with the defense witnesses, having the defense attorneys direct and the plaintiff attorneys cross-examine.
Once all of the witnesses have been examined, the trial moves to closing arguments. The prosecutor/plaintiff again goes first. After the defense finishes their closing argument, the plaintiff may give a rebuttal argument if they still have time remaining. In some competitions, the rebuttal is limited to the scope of the defense’s closing argument. Time limits are set at each level of competition to prevent the trials from running too long and to keep rounds of competition running smoothly.
There are several different ways that a mock trial can be judged. In one, the judges for scoring the mock trial consist of the presiding judge and two scoring judges, all of whom score the teams. In a second method, there are two scoring judges and the presiding judge, as in the first method, but the presiding judge does not score the teams, rather the judge simply votes or casts a ballot for one team or another. In yet another method of judging, there are three scoring judges and the presiding judge is not involved in the scoring of the teams.
The winning team is not necessarily the team that won the verdict in the traditional sense. Instead, evaluators score individual attorneys and witnesses on a 1-10 scale based on each stage of the trial. These consist of the opening statements for the plaintiff and defense, each of the witnesses’ testimony, direct and cross-examination by attorneys, and the closing statements for both sides. The team with the highest total number of points is often, but not always, the team that wins the judge's verdict. So, it is possible for the defendant to be found guilty or lose the case but for the defense team to still win the round.
Points can be deducted from a team’s score for testifying with information outside the scope of the mock trial materials and for unsportsmanlike conduct or abuse of objections.
was begun in 1984. This first competition consisted of teams from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The competition since has grown and now is considered to be an All-State tournament. Each year, various participating states around the country take turns hosting the tournament. The 2010 Championship was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and the National Mock Trial Board announced that Phoenix, Arizona
will host in 2011. New York State does not participate in the national competition; rather, it has its own intrastate competition consisting of over 350 teams throughout the state. It follows similar rules to that of the national competition. New York has three levels of play, county competition, regional competition, and the finals, which is held in Albany, New York
in May. The state of Maryland also does not compete in the National High School tournament, and thus has their own statewide mock trial competition similar to that of New York. New Jersey and North Carolina both pulled out of the competition following the 2005 season due to a refusal by the organization to accommodate an Orthodox Jewish team that had won New Jersey's state championship.
The mock trial program was started to allow high school students to experience the courtroom in a hands-on role. The mock trials are set up and structured just like a real court, bound by the same rules. This can help the students to know exactly what role each of the different people in a court (judges, lawyers, witnesses, etc.) do in the judicial system. Cases typically have to do with problems faced by teens, and will usually involve teenagers as witnesses.
format from a pool of approximately eight to 10 available witnesses prior to the round. Typical draft orders are DPDPDP, but may vary substantially between cases. Judges are usually attorneys or coaches, and in some occasions, practicing judges. A tournament consists of four rounds, two on each side of the case, scored by two judges in each round.
The regular season begins in late January, starting with regional tournaments. There are typically more than 500 teams spread across 22-23 regional tournaments. Each school is limited to two post-regional bids to the "Opening Round National Championships." There are no longer any direct bids from Regionals to the National Championship Tournament. 192 teams advance to the Opening Round Championship, which is held at eight different tournament sites. The top teams at each Opening Round Championship Tournament qualify for a berth in the National Championship Tournament. There are 48 total bids to the final tournament.
For 22 years, the National Championship Tournament was held in Des Moines, Iowa, the city in which collegiate mock trial began. The tournament left Iowa for the first time in 2007 when Stetson University in St. Petersburg, Florida hosted the Championship. The 2008 National Championship Tournament was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since 2009, and for the foreseeable future, the Championship returns to Des Moines in odd-numbered years, while even-numbered years feature a different venue. The 2010 Championship was hosted by Rhodes College at courthouses in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The 2012 Championship will return to Minneapolis.
On April 15, 2007, the University of Virginia again defeated Harvard University to win the National Championship. This marked the first ever re-match of a previous year's final round. Virginia again won via a split decision, winning two of the three ballots in the final round. Virginia also became the 4th program to ever repeat as champions, joining UCLA, the University of Iowa, and Rhodes College, who accomplished this feat twice. Harvard University became the second program to be the runner up in consecutive years, joining University of Maryland, College Park as the only other program to accomplish this feat. Maryland however, had the distinction of losing to themselves in one of those two defeats. Hosted by Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersberg, Florida, this was the first year that the National Championship Tournament was held outside of Des Moines, Iowa.
On April 6, 2008, the University of Maryland prevailed over the George Washington University in a split-ballot decision (2-1). The tournament took place in St. Paul, Minnesota and was hosted by Hamline University. This was the University of Maryland's fifth National Championship giving them more total wins than any other university. Previously the University of Maryland was tied with Rhodes, each school winning four titles.
On April 19, 2009, Northwood University defeated the George Washington University 5-0 to claim its first National Championship.
On April 18, 2010, New York University defeated Harvard University 3-1-1 to win its first National Championship. This was Harvard's third championship round appearance in the last five years following its consecutive losses to the University of Virginia.
On April 17, 2011, University of California, Los Angeles defeated the defending National Champions New York University 4-1 to claim its third National Championship, the third-most in the history of the American Mock Trial Association. The 27th National Championship Tournament was hosted by Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa.
The following is the list of winners of the National Championship Tournament, as well as the runners-up:
National Championship Round Participants
The trial typically, although not always, begins with motions in limine and housekeeping matters, then moves through opening statements, witness testimony (both direct examination and cross examination), and finishes with a closing argument, sometimes called a summation. Throughout the trial, rules of evidence apply, typically the Federal Rules of Evidence, and objections are made applying these rules.
Every team in a tournament is given the same "problem" or "case", typically several months in advance, but for some tournaments only a few weeks ahead of the tournament's start. The problems can be criminal or civil, which effects many procedural aspects of the trial, for instance the increased rights of a criminal defendant not to testify against himself. The cases are written in an attempt to create an equal chance of either side prevailing, since the main objective is not to identify the winner of the case, but rather the team with superior advocacy skills.
Occasionally the winners of mock trial tournaments receive special awards such as money or invitations to special events, but the status of winning a tournament is significant in and of itself.
Mock Trial Competitions*:
Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational Mock Trial Competition, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition (formerly ATLA)
National Civil Trial Competition, Texas Young Lawyers Association/National Trial Competition Mock Trial Competition (NTC), Michigan State University National Trial Advocacy Competition (NTAC), California Association of Criminal Justice (CACJ) Mock Trial Competition, Capitol City Challenge, National Ethics Trial Competition at Pacific McGeorge School of Law, Lone Star Classic National Mock Trial Tournament
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
. It is similar to a moot court
Moot court
A moot court is an extracurricular activity at many law schools in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a...
, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
hearings. Attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or experiment with each other. In a mock trial normal rules of court are often abbreviated in order to focus on particular parts of the trial. Mock Trial is also the name of an extracurricular program in which student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s participate in rehearsed trials to learn new skills and compete with each other. At some law schools, the term trial advocacy is used for the program. Various organizations, such as state bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
s, sponsor Mock Trial/trial advocacy competitions for middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
students, high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students, college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
students, and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
students.
Interscholastic mock trials take place on three levels. High-school competitive mock trial has an annual national competition governed by National Mock Trial Championship, Inc. and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The competition on the college circuit is governed by the American Mock Trial Association. The college circuit also has an online forum at Perjuries Mock Trial AMTA Forum. Finally, there is mock trial/trial advocacy at the Law School level such as the National Trial Competition hosted by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
.
Competition framework
Trial and competition information is sent out in summer to early fall (depending on the level) to each of the competing teams. This information consists of the charges and basis of the case, rules that must be followed, and affidavits of each of the testifying or potentially testifying witnesses. Additional information including documents, maps, and diagrams are often included to help teams understand the situation of the case. These can often be introduced at trial as exhibitsExhibit (Legal)
An exhibit, in a criminal prosecution or a civil trial, is physical or documentary evidence brought before the jury. The artifact or document itself is presented for the jury's inspection...
.
Teams have to study and analyze this information and form their case by the time of competition, typically held in winter to early spring. Each state has its own case every year that is different than the national case. This means that the winners of the state competitions, who move on to nationals, must study and prepare a completely different case in time for the National High School Mock Trial Competition in May.
The teams consist of a maximum of eight official members. These eight members must be organized into two teams of six for the prosecution/plaintiff and defense sides. Both of these six-member sub teams consist of three attorneys and three witnesses.
Procedure
Once all of the witnesses have been examined, the trial moves to closing arguments. The prosecutor/plaintiff again goes first. After the defense finishes their closing argument, the plaintiff may give a rebuttal argument if they still have time remaining. In some competitions, the rebuttal is limited to the scope of the defense’s closing argument. Time limits are set at each level of competition to prevent the trials from running too long and to keep rounds of competition running smoothly.
Judging
The winning team is not necessarily the team that won the verdict in the traditional sense. Instead, evaluators score individual attorneys and witnesses on a 1-10 scale based on each stage of the trial. These consist of the opening statements for the plaintiff and defense, each of the witnesses’ testimony, direct and cross-examination by attorneys, and the closing statements for both sides. The team with the highest total number of points is often, but not always, the team that wins the judge's verdict. So, it is possible for the defendant to be found guilty or lose the case but for the defense team to still win the round.
Points can be deducted from a team’s score for testifying with information outside the scope of the mock trial materials and for unsportsmanlike conduct or abuse of objections.
Power Matching
In the first round of the tournament, all of the teams are randomly matched to compete with each other. After the first round of some tournaments, teams are “power matched” to go up against other teams with similar records (i.e. in the second round, a 1-0 team will be matched with another 1-0 team). If there is a tie in record, the judges will use the number of ballots and total points earned to decide the matching. This allows for teams to compete with other teams of similar skill.National Championship Format
In the national championship format, which is also employed by invitationals across the country, the tournament is power matched through the last round. While this determines the strongest team at the tournament overall, it does not provide an accurate representation of 2nd, 3rd, 4th place teams, etc, because they might have lost multiple ballots to a strong team who placed first.Exceptions
Of course, there are practical exceptions to the theory of power matching. Tab room coordinators who are creating brackets for each round may deviate from the rules of power matching in order to 1. allow each team to alternate between prosecution/plaintiff and defense between rounds, 2. avoid two teams from the same school competing against each other (Maryland Rule), 3. avoid having a team compete against a team it played in a prior round.Power Protection
When tournaments are power protected, it means that the first rounds of competition are power matched as stated above. In the last round(s), however, the team with the strongest record is paired against the team with the weakest record. This ensures that the best teams do not knock each other out of the running for a rank. Rather, it's anticipated that the stronger team will win and protect their chance at a rank, while there is no harm done to the weaker team who is already out of reach of a trophy. Additionally, this method gives weaker teams exposure to stronger programs that they can learn from.High school
The National High School Mock Trial ChampionshipNational High School Mock Trial Championship
The National High School Mock Trial Championship is an American nationwide competition of high school mock trial teams. The competition debuted in 1984 in Des Moines, Iowa, with teams representing Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin....
was begun in 1984. This first competition consisted of teams from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The competition since has grown and now is considered to be an All-State tournament. Each year, various participating states around the country take turns hosting the tournament. The 2010 Championship was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and the National Mock Trial Board announced that Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
will host in 2011. New York State does not participate in the national competition; rather, it has its own intrastate competition consisting of over 350 teams throughout the state. It follows similar rules to that of the national competition. New York has three levels of play, county competition, regional competition, and the finals, which is held in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
in May. The state of Maryland also does not compete in the National High School tournament, and thus has their own statewide mock trial competition similar to that of New York. New Jersey and North Carolina both pulled out of the competition following the 2005 season due to a refusal by the organization to accommodate an Orthodox Jewish team that had won New Jersey's state championship.
The mock trial program was started to allow high school students to experience the courtroom in a hands-on role. The mock trials are set up and structured just like a real court, bound by the same rules. This can help the students to know exactly what role each of the different people in a court (judges, lawyers, witnesses, etc.) do in the judicial system. Cases typically have to do with problems faced by teens, and will usually involve teenagers as witnesses.
College
On the inter-collegiate circuit, a mock trial team consists of three attorneys and three witnesses on each side of the case (plaintiff/prosecution and defense). The attorneys are responsible for delivering an opening statement, conducting direct and cross examinations of witnesses and delivering closing arguments. Witnesses are selected in a sports draftDraft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
format from a pool of approximately eight to 10 available witnesses prior to the round. Typical draft orders are DPDPDP, but may vary substantially between cases. Judges are usually attorneys or coaches, and in some occasions, practicing judges. A tournament consists of four rounds, two on each side of the case, scored by two judges in each round.
Tournament competition
The season runs in two parts, the invitational season and the regular season. Invitational tournaments are held throughout the fall semester and into early spring across the country.The regular season begins in late January, starting with regional tournaments. There are typically more than 500 teams spread across 22-23 regional tournaments. Each school is limited to two post-regional bids to the "Opening Round National Championships." There are no longer any direct bids from Regionals to the National Championship Tournament. 192 teams advance to the Opening Round Championship, which is held at eight different tournament sites. The top teams at each Opening Round Championship Tournament qualify for a berth in the National Championship Tournament. There are 48 total bids to the final tournament.
For 22 years, the National Championship Tournament was held in Des Moines, Iowa, the city in which collegiate mock trial began. The tournament left Iowa for the first time in 2007 when Stetson University in St. Petersburg, Florida hosted the Championship. The 2008 National Championship Tournament was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since 2009, and for the foreseeable future, the Championship returns to Des Moines in odd-numbered years, while even-numbered years feature a different venue. The 2010 Championship was hosted by Rhodes College at courthouses in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The 2012 Championship will return to Minneapolis.
Past championship results
On April 9, 2006, the University of Virginia beat Harvard University to win the National Championship. In what was the closest final round in AMTA history, the University of Virginia won the championship by a single point using a tiebreaker, after a three judge panel split with one judge choosing Virginia as the winner, one choosing Harvard, and one calling the round a draw. The University of Virginia's victory ended the recent run by UCLA, who had won the two previous national championships.On April 15, 2007, the University of Virginia again defeated Harvard University to win the National Championship. This marked the first ever re-match of a previous year's final round. Virginia again won via a split decision, winning two of the three ballots in the final round. Virginia also became the 4th program to ever repeat as champions, joining UCLA, the University of Iowa, and Rhodes College, who accomplished this feat twice. Harvard University became the second program to be the runner up in consecutive years, joining University of Maryland, College Park as the only other program to accomplish this feat. Maryland however, had the distinction of losing to themselves in one of those two defeats. Hosted by Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersberg, Florida, this was the first year that the National Championship Tournament was held outside of Des Moines, Iowa.
On April 6, 2008, the University of Maryland prevailed over the George Washington University in a split-ballot decision (2-1). The tournament took place in St. Paul, Minnesota and was hosted by Hamline University. This was the University of Maryland's fifth National Championship giving them more total wins than any other university. Previously the University of Maryland was tied with Rhodes, each school winning four titles.
On April 19, 2009, Northwood University defeated the George Washington University 5-0 to claim its first National Championship.
On April 18, 2010, New York University defeated Harvard University 3-1-1 to win its first National Championship. This was Harvard's third championship round appearance in the last five years following its consecutive losses to the University of Virginia.
On April 17, 2011, University of California, Los Angeles defeated the defending National Champions New York University 4-1 to claim its third National Championship, the third-most in the history of the American Mock Trial Association. The 27th National Championship Tournament was hosted by Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa.
The following is the list of winners of the National Championship Tournament, as well as the runners-up:
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... |
New York University New York University New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan... |
| 2010 | New York University | Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2009 | Northwood University Northwood University Northwood University is a private university with multiple locations. The school has four residential campuses: Midland, Michigan , Cedar Hill, Texas , West Palm Beach, Florida and a joint program with Hotel Institute Montreux in Montreux, Switzerland, began in 2001... |
George Washington University George Washington University The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States... |
| 2008 | University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C... |
George Washington University |
| 2007 | University of Virginia University of Virginia The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson... |
Harvard University |
| 2006 | University of Virginia | Harvard University |
| 2005 | University of California, Los Angeles | Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States... |
| 2004 | University of California, Los Angeles | Columbia University Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the... |
| 2003 | University of Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
Howard University Howard University Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States... |
| 2002 | University of Iowa | Georgetown University Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... |
| 2001 | Miami University (Ohio) Miami University Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S... |
Rhodes College Rhodes College Rhodes College is a private, predominantly undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Originally founded by freemasons in 1848, Rhodes became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in 1855. Rhodes enrolls approximately 1,700 students pursuing bachelor's and master's... |
| 2000 | University of Maryland, College Park | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee |
| 1999 | Bellarmine University Bellarmine University Bellarmine University is an independent, private, Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. The liberal arts institution opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after the Cardinal Saint Robert... |
Rhodes College |
| 1998 | University of Maryland, College Park | Bellarmine University |
| 1997 | Howard University | Rhodes College |
| 1996 | University of Maryland, College Park | Saint Louis University Saint Louis University Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the... |
| 1995 | Rhodes College | Loras College Loras College Loras College is a four-year Catholic college located in Dubuque, Iowa, with a general attendance of approximately 1,700 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs... |
| 1994 | Rhodes College | Bellarmine University |
| 1993 | Drake University Drake University Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country.... |
University of Maryland, College Park |
| 1992* | University of Maryland, College Park | University of Maryland, College Park |
| 1991 | Rhodes College | Bellarmine University |
| 1990 | Rhodes College | Toledo Community College |
| 1989 | Drake University | University of St. Thomas University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States... |
| 1988 | University of South Dakota University of South Dakota The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current... |
Wright State University Wright State University Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,... |
| 1987 | University of St. Thomas | Bellarmine University |
| 1986 | Wright State University | Northwestern University Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees.... |
| 1985 | Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a... |
Central College |
- From 1992 until 2010, the "Maryland Rule" was in effect, which placed both teams from the same school in the same division in order to ensure there wouldn't be another championship round between two teams from the same school. The Maryland Rule was repealed before the 2010-11 season.
National Championship Round Participants
| Team | Winners | Winning Years | Runners-Up | Runner-Up Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland, College Park | 5 | 2008, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1992 | 2 | 1993, 1992 |
| Rhodes College | 4 | 1995, 1994, 1991, 1990 | 3 | 2001, 1999, 1997 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 3 | 2011, 2005, 2004 | 0 | N/A |
| University of Virginia | 2 | 2007, 2006 | 0 | N/A |
| University of Iowa | 2 | 2003, 2002 | 0 | N/A |
| Drake University | 2 | 1993, 1989 | 0 | N/A |
| Bellarmine University | 1 | 1999 | 4 | 1998, 1994, 1991, 1987 |
| New York University | 1 | 2010 | 1 | 2011 |
| Howard University | 1 | 1997 | 1 | 2003 |
| University of St. Thomas | 1 | 1987 | 1 | 1989 |
| Wright State University | 1 | 1986 | 1 | 1988 |
| Northwood University | 1 | 2009 | 0 | N/A |
| Miami University (Ohio) Miami University Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S... |
1 | 2001 | 0 | N/A |
| University of South Dakota | 1 | 1988 | 0 | N/A |
| Eastern Illinois University | 1 | 1985 | 0 | N/A |
| Harvard University | 0 | N/A | 3 | 2006, 2007, 2010 |
| George Washington University | 0 | N/A | 2 | 2008, 2009 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2005 |
| Columbia University | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2004 |
| Georgetown University | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2002 |
| University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2000 |
| Saint Louis University | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1996 |
| Loras College | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1995 |
| Toledo Community College | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1990 |
| Northwestern University | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1986 |
| Central College (Iowa) | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1985 |
Law school
In the United States, law schools participate in interscholastic mock trial/trial advocacy. Teams typically consist of several "attorneys" and several "witnesses" on each side. A round consists of two law students acting as "attorneys" for each side.The trial typically, although not always, begins with motions in limine and housekeeping matters, then moves through opening statements, witness testimony (both direct examination and cross examination), and finishes with a closing argument, sometimes called a summation. Throughout the trial, rules of evidence apply, typically the Federal Rules of Evidence, and objections are made applying these rules.
Every team in a tournament is given the same "problem" or "case", typically several months in advance, but for some tournaments only a few weeks ahead of the tournament's start. The problems can be criminal or civil, which effects many procedural aspects of the trial, for instance the increased rights of a criminal defendant not to testify against himself. The cases are written in an attempt to create an equal chance of either side prevailing, since the main objective is not to identify the winner of the case, but rather the team with superior advocacy skills.
Occasionally the winners of mock trial tournaments receive special awards such as money or invitations to special events, but the status of winning a tournament is significant in and of itself.
Mock Trial Competitions*:
Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational Mock Trial Competition, American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition (formerly ATLA)
National Civil Trial Competition, Texas Young Lawyers Association/National Trial Competition Mock Trial Competition (NTC), Michigan State University National Trial Advocacy Competition (NTAC), California Association of Criminal Justice (CACJ) Mock Trial Competition, Capitol City Challenge, National Ethics Trial Competition at Pacific McGeorge School of Law, Lone Star Classic National Mock Trial Tournament
- List incomplete
Other
Practicing litigators may use mock trials to assist with trial preparation and settlement negotiations. Unlike scholastic mock trials, these mock trials can take numerous forms depending on the information sought. For example, when faced with complex fact issues in a particular case, attorneys might convene a mini mock trial to try different methods of presenting their evidence, sometimes before a mock jury.In fiction
- In an episode of the American television series The FugitiveThe Fugitive (TV series)The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, a once-famed attorney and current law professor named G. Stanley Lazer claims that he could reverse Richard Kimble's criminal convictionAcquittalIn the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
if the case went back to trial. To Kimble's chagrin, Lazer decides to prove his theory by conducting a mock trial with his students playing the prosecutor, defense lawyer, and jury in front of a live TV audience. - In an episode of the American television show "SuitsSuits (TV series)Suits is a USA Network television drama series starring Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams. The 12-episode first season debuted on June 23, 2011, with a 90-minute premiere. It was renewed for a second season of 16 episodes on August 11, 2011, expected to premiere in Summer 2012.- Overview :Mike...
", Mike Ross, an employee of one of New York's top law firms, goes head-to-head with one of his co-workers in a mock trial.
External links
- "Perjuries.com Mock Trial Forums" Online community forum discussing mock trial related topics.
- "International Online Mock Trial Competition" Mock Trial Online Competition hosted by practicing litigators.
- "Young Lawyers Division Statewide Mock Trial Competition" Pennsylvania Mock Trial. Pennsylvania Bar Association.
- "Florida High School Mock Trial." Florida Law Related Education. 2005. Florida Law Education Association, Inc. 4 Oct. 2006.
- "Mock Trial Competition." Constitutional Rights Foundation. 2006. Constitutional Rights Foundation. 4 Oct. 2006.
- "Mock Trials." Legal Explorer. 2006. State Bar of Wisconsin. 4 Oct. 2006.
- "Mock Trial Tournament." New York State Bar Association. 4 Oct. 2006. New York State Bar Association. 4 Oct. 2006.
- "Rules of the Competition." National High School Mock Trial Championship. 2006. National High School Mock Trial Championship, Inc. 4 Oct. 2006.
- "Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition." TBAlink. 2006. Tennessee Bar Association. 10 Oct. 2006.
- "Free Trial Advocacy Tips for Trial Lawyers" Winning Trial Advocacy Techniques blog
- "Massachusetts High School Mock Trial" Massachusetts Bar Association. 2007. Massachusetts Bar Association. 20 Feb 2007.
- "Ohio Mock Trial Ohio Mock Trial