Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
"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 learners 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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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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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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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...
National First Ladies' Library
Safety or Civil Liberty? The Trial of Sacco and Vanzet
Students investigate the Sacco-Vanzetti trial and develop a basic understanding of the issues involved. Then they write an essay taking a stance on the Sacco-Vanzetti trial: was the trial fair? were the two men falsely accused? Finally,...
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Crime and Justice
Students investigate what happens when someone is arrested. They engage in a mock trial role play about a burglary. They engage in the process of the Criminal Justice System from arrest to sentencing.
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Individual Rights - The Right To Equal Protection
Students examine the concepts of equal protection, discrimination, affirmative action, and racial profiling. They analyze the Equal Protection Clause, participate in a mock trial, and discuss the different parts of the trial.
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The Right to Education for California's Minorities and Immigrants Offline Lesson Plan
Students examine the elements of various court cases and how state and federal laws affect them. They participate in mock trials.
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Courts in the Classroom: Ritter v Stanton
Students read the case briefs of Ritter v Stanton. They simulate the trial with classmates taking various parts such as appellant, appellee, bailiff, and justices. After conducting a mock argument, they write their own opinion for the case.
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Oral Arguments Online
Learners conduct a mock oral argument based on the briefs provided and further research as assigned by the instructor. They write an opinion for the case outlining why one legal argument prevailed over the other based on their own...