CONGRATULATIONS!!!

• Thank you for making the decision to coach your school's mock trial team.
• Mock trial is an excellent way to learn about the law in a fun and a creative way.  Students  prepare and simulate a trial. 
• Students play the rolls of attorneys, witnesses, and bailiffs.
• Through participation in mock trial, students have a better understanding of the legal system.
• Students learn the rules of evidence, proper courtroom decorum, and the importance of law in a democratic society.
• Mock trial increases student confidence, oral speaking skills, critical thinking skills, poise and teamwork skills.
  
• This website was created to provide new teachers with an overview of some of the ideas presented in the new teachers' meeting.
• It is only intended to provide helpful hints that I used with my own students in the past, and are not being  published by Utah Law-Related Education. 
• Please feel free to use the ideas in the spirit of one coach to another coach. This website by no means covers everything you need to know about coaching a mock trial team, but hopefully it will get your started.
• I have included some links to help you learn more about the law and provide you with some examples from actual mock trials and/or practices to help you get a picture of how other teams practice and compete. I will leave the decision up to you about the quality of the presentations.
  
• Good luck! Though mock trial involved a huge time commitment, coaching mock trial was one of the most rewarding experiences in my teaching career.  Feel free to contact me at  dpugh@judgememorial.com