Mock Trial

Mock Trial, something small but something fun.

Mock Trial is an activity as Chad Merns puts it as

Students were asked to try a fictitious case, acting in the roles of both attorneys and witnesses. "It was a very realistic scenario for them," said mock trial coordinator Doug Bench, an attorney with Silverman, Tokarsky and Foreman. "It gives students a taste — a realistic taste — of what it's like to be an attorney, instead of watching television and getting some notion from ‘Law and Order' that our lives are more exciting than they really are." The cases were presided over by U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson, with several area attorneys filling in as jurors.

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When you ask someone if they know what mock trial is, many will say, "oh isn't it kindof like debate?" I know that from experience, but the sad thing is, many people don't know what Mock Trial is, or what you do. Recently last year, I was asked to join my schools mock trial team. I didn't know anything about it and never heard of it before, but after I absolutely loved it. For those who don't know what it is like, first off I would like to say it is not scripted and not much like debate. Sure you argue but you have totally different techniques.

In mock trial, you have witness statements you can look at. Those are used to tell you the story of what happened and what that witness is like, since you are not actually that person, if you are playing that witness. They are not what you are going to exactly say when you get into court. Many people think, one school plays against itself and it is all scripted. The attourney has to say what is one its script and the witness answers what is on there scriptt, almost like a play. But that is not true, you play against another school and you don't always know what the witness or attourney is going to say. That is the part that is like debate, and that you argue. But in court you have ediquette and you can not just plain out say this person is wrong or why. You need to bring out your points and then why those points are important.

You follow all the procedures of a real court and fill all the real positions. You have most of the same rules as in real court, and it is the closest thing to real court as a kid. If I didn't do mock trial I would not find a love for it or even know what it is like. I think everyone should give it a try, for most people including me, don't know what it is like until you do it. It is something different but also fun.

Have you ever heard of mock trial, or did you have the right idea of what it is like? Please leave comments or questions!! :-)