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Introduction to Mock Trials
Fifth graders participate in a mock trial and explore the vocabulary of a courtroom.
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Espionage and Sedition Acts: Mock Trial
Bring to life the severity of the Espionage and Sedition Acts through a mock trial. Learners have prior knowledge of WWI and the context of these acts. An anticipatory set gets the class discussing the ethics of wartime dissension, and...
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Lesson 5: In the Courtroom: Understanding the Players and the Action
Young lawyers put Goldilocks on trial as they develop an understanding of the legal system in the final lesson of this five-part series. After learning about key terms relating to litigation, learners are assigned roles and reading...
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Mock Trial
Students rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play roles.
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"Whispering Wires": Public Law vs. Individual Civil Liberties
High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether or not...
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Opening Statements -- Mock Trial Preparation
Students prepare for their mock trials in the classroom. As a class, they are introduced to the elements to be included in an opening statement. They make their own statements and present them in front of the class. They make...
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Arrest- A Legal System Simulation
What would your class do if a police officer arrested a student in class? This is exactly the anticipatory set that gets students engaged in a unit on the legal system. The plan is to get the officer to simulate an arrest, and then guest...
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Stolen Car Mini-Trial
Students participate in a mock trial about stolen cars. In groups, they take turns representing their clients and examining how a court operates. Other students act as the jury and share their reasons for the verdict they deliver.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
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Mock Trial Preparation
High schoolers work together to help prepare for a mock trial presentation. As a class, they identify and discuss each part of a trial and participate in a mini-demonstration to help visualize the steps. After completion, they write a...
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That's MY Pencil: Simplified Mock Trial
Learners identify the process for settling a legal dispute, identify key players in a legal dispute (who presents the facts; who makes the final decision), and determine what makes a decision fair.
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Opening Statements (Timed Writing) Model Lesson Plan
Learners review purpose and timing of opening statements in mock trials, discuss particulars of what should be included in opening statements, and write individual opening statements based on facts of their case.
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The Case of the Plugged Toilets:
Students identify the process for settling a criminal dispute (how are the facts of the case presented; how is the dispute resolved?, and
Utah State Courts
Judges in the Classroom
Class members explore the process of a disposition hearing for juveniles, particularly looking at how the judge decides what sentence the juvenile offender should receive. Task your pupils with evaluating different sample cases provided...
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Tort Liability: Mock Trial
Young scholars explore the trial process and the tort concept of host liability.
Pennsylvania Bar Association
The Pied Piper vs. The City of Hamelin
How would the Pied Piper recover his damages from the deceptive citizens of Hamelin if the story took place today? Explore one of the Pied Piper's options with a short play that depicts a court case in which he sues the city of Hamelin...
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Is it Housing Discrimination?
Twelfth graders examine the concept of discrimination. In this Current Events lesson, 12th graders prepare for a trial on discrimination. Students participate in these trials as a specific role.
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Did Jack break the law?:
Students identify the process for settling a legal dispute, identify key players in a legal dispute (who presents the facts; who makes the final decision) and determine what makes a decision fair.
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Torts
Students examine tort law and defenses to negligence claims. They read case studies, participate in a mock trial, answer questions about the case summaries, and present information to their group about tort law.
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Family Law - Child Abuse and Neglect
Young scholars continue to examine child abuse and neglect laws in their state. In groups, they discuss the reasoning behind the child abuse laws and how to increase awareness. They participate in a mock trial to practice their...
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Guild v. Google
Students share opinions about what constitutes fair use of copyright materials and participate in a mock trial arguing the case of The Authors Guild v. Google.
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Case Studies in Journalistic Ethics No. 2
Learners use texts on media ethics and various Web sites to explore real world examples of media law issues. For this media ethics lesson, students examine the Food Lion case using a transcript from the court of appeals session and...
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Tribal Sovereignty Mock Trial
Students discuss the issue of tribal/native nation sovereignty. They review the Constitution of the U.S. and discuss how it legally provides for sovereign nations. Then they participate in a mock trial of the 1823 Supreme Court Case...
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Domestic Abuse and Order For Protection
Students read an article about the laws pertaining to cases of domestic abuse. They take a quiz, consider how they might help a friend involved in an abusive situation and participate in a mock trial where they examine varying points of...