Mock Trial Reflection
Last week the seventh and eighth grade worked on and held a mock trial. We were each emailed a packet with the case, the depositions of all four witnesses and a jury verdict form. We split up into two sides the Prosecution and Defense. Each side had a leader, Defense had Kasra and Prosecution had John. We discussed the packets in our groups and decided what would be the best strategy to win the trial. The partners for each trial divided up writing the opening statement, closing argument, and the questioning of the witnesses. Since I wasn’t there for the first two days I wasn’t able to be an attorney I opted to be a witness. I did however prepare a little bit with the defense side so I still got to learn a lot about the criminal justice system.
There two prep sessions the week of the mock trial for prepare the statements and questions. Since I wasn’t there for the first session and everybody had already split into teams and divided up the work. I could have caught up with the work but I didn’t have a team and most of the work was already done. I wish I could have taken part in the trial because I enjoyed the format this year more then last year.
Last year the trial was much more scripted which I didn’t really like. This year it was much more free wheeling. I liked how we were able to write our own statements and questions. Even though I didn’t get to do the work that other people did, I still enjoyed learning how to writing them and hearing them read in the trial. I also really liked having a jury to make the call on who won the trial. Though I wish we had more jury members so that the second trial was more fair. Other then that I really liked the way the trials were set up and I’m sad I won’t be able to participate next year.
