By Anthony Rivera
Over the summer I took part in the Mock Trial and Introduction to Political Science course at The City College of New York through the College Now program. Being able to be a part of this program proved to be more beneficial than expected. Apart from the obvious perks — such as being involved in a realistic criminal or civil case, and learning about the United States’ court system — participants in the Mock Trial program gain a number of useful skills.
Mock Trial teams can be found all over the country, whether it be through a high school organization or a college organization. Most commonly, there will be a team of 6-12 students who are given either a civil, or a criminal case to present as a real trial in front of a judge from that district. Students are given a plethora of information in advance, including affidavits, expert reports, relevant case law, and evidence of the case. It is their job to review all of these documents and perfect their case theory before the competition. It is in this process of preparation where students really reap the benefits of mock trial.
Firstly, all students, no matter what role they’ve been given in the case, must be prepared for anything and everything. Mock trial teaches participants the necessity of preparation in any situation. To have a successful trial one must have considered almost every potential weakness in their case theory, and found a way to disprove that weakness however they can. Secondly, students have the opportunity to improve their reading and writing.
Mock Trial case briefs come in the form of packets usually exceeding 100 pages, and participants are expected to have memorized a majority of it. In addition, participants must create questions, and write opening and closing statements based off the given information. Being that both the questioning and the statements must be presented within a short period of time, mock trial members learn to efficiently express their ideas as clear, and concise as possible. This allows for better communication both in writing, and in speaking.
Finally, participation in mock trial can lead to a dramatic improvement in public speaking. Apart from the fact that you will be speaking in front of a judge (sometimes a jury) and the opposing team, mock trial helps improve this ability because it forces you to be quick on your feet and think efficiently in front of a crowd. In almost any case, the opposing team will give a response or ask a question that will leave you befuddled. It is your responsibility to act quickly and propose a counterargument on the spot. Being able to do this will improve your public speaking and as well as critical thinking skills.
Taking part in CCNY’s Mock Trial program was a great experience. Not only did I learn so much more than I expected, but being apart of the mock trial community was extremely awarding being that I was able to build such a strong relationship with fellow members as well as network with people in the field of law.