The Sentencing Activity

Mock trials are a great way to teach youngsters about law and the legal system. Whether you plan to conduct mock trials in your classroom or are considering taking on the role of team coach, the information in this packet proves invaluable.

Why is it so important to have a trial by jury in the American judicial system? This right is one of the hallmarks of American democracy, but it also comes with the responsibility of serving on a jury if called. Young legal scholars...

Was justice served for Bobby Franks? An informative article about the 1924 trial of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold includes an overview of the murder of Bobby Franks, the defense’s legal strategy, and excerpts of closing arguments from...

Fewer than 4% of United States criminal cases are decided by juries. A short video points to the increase in arbitration, plea bargaining, and summary judgements to explain the decline to explain the decline in jury trials.

This article discusses the upcoming war crimes trial of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo. (July 11, 2011)

The story of the "Judges Trial," a trial held at Nuremberg of German law judges who had worked for the Nazis during World War 2.

Designed as a check on the judicial branch of the United State government, the president has the power to nominate judges to the federal bench. Four film clips serve as a bell ringer to introduce a study into the nominating process and...

Yad Vashem has the largest collection of Holocaust resources than anywhere else in the world. Their main objective is preserving all the stories of this time period so it is not forgotten or repeated. In addition to primary sources, they...

A courtroom can be a scary place for the uninitiated. Get familiar with the process using a helpful overview of the activities that take place prior to both civil and criminal cases.  The lesson explains the differences between civil and...

Students consider the implication of war crimes. In this Bosnian War lesson, students watch video clips and read about the trial of Dražen Erdemovic, a Bosnian Croat accused of shooting civilians. Students discuss the trial as well as...