Mock Trial

Awareness & Understanding

The American legal system touches almost every part of daily life — from the rules at your school to the laws that govern what businesses can do. Yet most people never see the inside of a courtroom. This step is about changing that. Start by visiting courts.utah.gov (the Utah State Courts website, completely free) and reading the "How Courts Work" section. Then watch one episode of the Utah Courts YouTube channel, which posts real oral arguments and educational explainers. Finally, look up the nearest courthouse — Third District Court in Salt Lake handles most civil and criminal cases — and note that courtrooms are open to the public during trials. You are ready for the next step when you can name the three branches of Utah government and explain what a trial court does differently from an appeals court.

Research & Investigation

Now explore the structure of a real trial. Read the American Bar Association's free "How Courts Work" guide at americanbar.org. Focus on the parts of a trial: opening statements, direct examination, cross-examination, objections, closing arguments, and jury deliberation. Then visit the Constitutional Rights Foundation (crf-usa.org) for free mock trial case materials — they have cases designed for students. If your school has a mock trial team, attend one of their practices as an observer. Look up whether Utah's Attorney General's office or the Salt Lake County District Attorney offers any school outreach programs. You are ready for the next step when you can explain the difference between direct examination and cross-examination and describe what "beyond a reasonable doubt" means.

Planning & Preparation

It is time to prepare for your own mock trial. Choose a case — use a free case from the Constitutional Rights Foundation or your state bar association, or create a simplified version of a real Utah landmark case. Assign roles: judge, prosecution attorneys, defense attorneys, witnesses, and jurors. Each participant needs to understand their role deeply. Attorneys must prepare opening statements, witness questions, and a closing argument. Witnesses must know their character backstory. Judges must know basic procedure. Set a practice schedule with at least two rehearsals before the trial. Use the free "Mock Trial Manual" from the Street Law organization at streetlaw.org. You are ready for the next step when every participant has a written role sheet and attorneys have completed a first draft of their opening statements.

Taking Action

Run your mock trial from opening gavel to verdict. Use a real or simulated courtroom setup — push desks into position, designate a judge's spot, and use a podium if available. The judge should call order, manage objections, and guide procedure. Attorneys should argue with evidence, not just emotion. After the verdict, hold a 20-minute debrief: What arguments were most persuasive? Which objections were valid? What would you do differently? If possible, invite a real attorney or paralegal — Utah State Bar has a volunteer speakers program — to give feedback. You are ready for the next step when your mock trial has been completed start to finish and a verdict has been reached with written reasoning from the jury.

Leadership & Expansion

Now lead a larger mock trial tournament. Organize at least two teams, each preparing opposing sides of a case. You serve as the tournament organizer: you write the rules, coordinate schedules, recruit a judge (a teacher, parent, or real attorney), and run the event. Connect with the Utah State Bar Young Lawyers Division or your school district's law-related education coordinator — Utah is one of a handful of states with a dedicated LRE program through the state bar. After the tournament, debrief with all participants and write a brief summary of results and lessons. You are ready for the next step when you have organized and run a two-team tournament and produced a written summary of the proceedings.

Impact & Reflection

Write a two-page reflection on your mock trial journey. Cover three things: one moment when the legal process surprised you or changed how you think, what you now believe about access to justice and whether the system is fair, and one specific legal concept — like due process, presumption of innocence, or equal protection — that you think more people should understand. Then take one public action: write a letter to your state legislator about a legal issue you care about (the Utah Legislature's website at le.utah.gov lets you find your representative for free), or publish a short op-ed in your school paper explaining one aspect of the law that affects young people. You are ready for the next step when your reflection is complete and your letter or op-ed has been sent or submitted.