Mock Trial and Beyond

 

 

Interested in mock trial beyond high school?

 

Here is a list of area colleges who offer Mock Trial programs!

 

 Bob Jones University

  University of Georgia

 College of Charleston

 Kennesaw State University

 Davidson College

 Morehouse College 

 Duke University

 University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

 East Carolina University

 University of South Carolina 

 Emory University

 University of South Carolina - Upstate 

 Elon University

 Tennessee

 Florida A & M

 The Citadel

 Florida State University

 Vanderbilt

 University of Central Florida

 University of Virginia

 Furman University

 Wake Forest

 Georgia State University

 Washington & Lee University 

 Georgia Tech 

 

 

What is the difference between High School Mock Trial and College Mock Trial?

High school mock trial programs do not allow teams to choose which witnesses they call. Case-writers create six witnesses and specify which three are for the defense and which three are for the plaintiff/prosecution. In college, the case-writers develop somewhere around ten different witnesses and allow each side to choose which three of these witnesses they will call in the minutes before a trial. With this set-up, opposing sides can strategize to “steal” the witnesses that their competitor may want. For this reason, every team needs extensive back-up plans and a lot of improvisational ability. Thinking on your feet is one of the best parts of mock trial.

How people perform as witnesses also differs from high school to college. The high school mock trial program has regulations that prohibit witnesses from using costumes. In college, not only do these regulations not exist, but it is almost a requirement that every witness transform into a character that the judge will remember and like:  accents, costumes, and one-liners make witnesses entertaining and fun to play.

The way roles are divided in college mock trial can differ from high school mock trial as well. In high school, there can often be as many as four lawyers on a side. In college trials, there are only three attorneys per side, so each attorney must perform a direct and cross-examination, and two attorneys give statements.