| Description |
*Overview:*
Participants will study criminal and/or civil law and trial procedure as part of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Mock Trial Program. Students should be prepared to read actual case decisions, statutes, and the rules of criminal/civil procedure, and to help prepare the entire case for both the prosecution and the defense, including opening and closings, direct and cross-examinations, and role-playing as witnesses.
There will be a general kickoff meeting for all members. New members will learn the basics of the court system and trial procedure, while returning members will have a quick refresher and be given more opportunity to hone their presentation skills. The competitive case materials will be available in early November. More details will be provided as they become available.
Who may participate: This is a high-school level study group open to anyone who wishes to participate and is able to handle the material. While all members of the team contribute in rehearsals and study group meetings, not all members are assigned competitive roles. Some team members may be assigned roles as understudies or as members of a non-competitive developmental team. (The MA Bar Association Mock Trial rules only permit high school students, or homeschoolers enrolled at a high school level, to compete.)
Homework: This course will require several hours of homework a week, including additional small group work, in preparation for the competitions.
Competitions: Mock Trial competitions begin in mid-January, when we will compete in at least three trials using the same case study. Competition schedules are made available after the first of the year and scheduled on weekdays during regular court hours.
Study Group Schedule: We will meet on Tuesdays evenings from 6:30-8:30 beginning September 25 on-site at Voyagers. Additional practices will be added in January. There will be at least three scrimmages and/or competitions on various weekday afternoons starting in mid-January and continuing through March or May depending on the team’s success. These dates will be set later in the semester.
Additional time commitment: The team will meet during Voyagers winter break (12/17/07-01/22/08) and during the February (02/18/08-02/22/08) and April (04/21/08-04/25/08) vacation weeks in the competition season, as needed. Additional practice sessions may be scheduled during the competition season, and scrimmages with other teams may be set to improve our presentation and competitive approach. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory.
Do not sign up for this program unless you can commit to all of the team meetings and competition dates, and are able to complete the reading and writing assignments each week. The competitive nature of the team requires the full participation of all members.
For more info: http://www2.massbar.org/pub_programs/mock_trial/. |