Program Coordinator:  Danielle Wilmot, dwilmot@oclre.org, (614) 485-3507

Combine middle school students' love of argument with a love of good literature. Middle School Mock Trial cases are literature-based, with cases constructed from books most commonly read in the middle grades. Students learn first-hand about the law, court procedures, and the judicial system while also building critical 21st-century skills.  

Middle School Mock Trial cases are based on pop­u­lar lit­er­a­ture, writ­ten by teams of teach­ers and lawyers.  Mid­dle school stu­dents act as wit­nesses and at­tor­neys to argue cases in­volv­ing their fa­vorite char­ac­ters.  The pro­gram was de­signed with Ohio’s Learn­ing Stan­dards for so­cial stud­ies and Eng­lish/lan­guage arts in mind and is ideal for in­ter­dis­ci­pli­nary teach­ing. Stu­dents read and an­a­lyze wit­ness state­ments drawn from the char­ac­ters in the books.  Stu­dents then work col­lab­o­ra­tively to de­velop ar­gu­ments for both sides and de­velop strate­gies to ques­tion the wit­nesses. 

OCLRE Mock Trial provides the opportunity for students to put together a coherent argument for their side of the case using furnished testimonial and physical evidence.  The comprehensive approach includes reading a case summary, trial briefs, and witness statements. 

Middle School Mock Trial has cases based on books commonly read at the middle school level.  OCLRE chooses one case to be the featured case at the State Showcase.

Testimonials

 "Mock Trial teaches students so much more than the legal process.  They develop teamwork strategies, critical thinking skills, and so much more.  The sense of accomplishment is overwhelming after they complete a trial.” ~ Amy Huber, Ridgeview Middle School

 “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about the legal system and to find their voices.” ~ Christine Spinner, St. Hilary School

 “Middle School Mock Trial benefits the students by improving their speaking skills and helping students overcome the fear of public speaking.  It encourages students to think outside the box and dive into subject matter that is not always familiar to them.” ~ Vicky Potter, Danville Middle School

 “The growth you will see in the children is well worth it!” ~Mehgan Lucas, Trellis Academy

 “It is a great, self-motivated chance for students to focus on presentation skills.” ~ Drew Farrell, Genoa Middle School

 “It’s a fun, unique way to expose kids to the law.  It involves public speaking and thinking on your feet.  I would encourage teachers to try it!” ~ Lisa Koo, Shalom Christian Academy

Mock Trial Cases

This year’s case, State of Mississippi v. TJ Avery, is based on Mildred D. Taylor’s novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This case opens the door to important discussions about race in the criminal justice system. In August of 1933, TJ Avery, a black teenager, is on trial for the murder of a white store owner. Is TJ really guilty, or is he a convenient scapegoat in a town steeped in racism?  Buy this year’s case file to find out!* 

*Orders will be processed on Mondays and Wednesdays. All orders received after 2:00pm will be processed the following day.

Racial politics play an important role in the narrative of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and by extension, in this case. We encourage teachers to be open to conversations that the book and case file may spark. For resources on talking about these issues in the classroom, Teaching Tolerance has a helpful guide for discussing race with your students. For your reference, the guide can be found here.

Case Materials Cost

Shipping and Handling Fees (shipping and emailing begins September 19, 2018)

Questions?  Contact Program Coordinator, Danielle Wilmot at dwilmot@oclre.org, 614.485.3507.

Not a member yet?  You can easily join while registering for any OCLRE program!

OCLRE offers 11 cases based on books commonly read at the Middle School level.  Any of these cases can be used in the classroom as a complement when educators might teach the book as part of the class. 

OCLRE rotates one case each year to be the featured State Showcase piece.  If you plan on attending the Showcase, make sure you purchase the featured case for that year.

To order this year's case or any of our other Middle School Mock Trial cases Case Material Order Form: 

•  State of Mississippi v. T.J. Avery, based on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by  Mildred Taylor
• British Crown v. Johnny Tremain, based on Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• The Community v. Jaden, based on The Giver by Lois Lowry
•  State of Ohio v. Frankie Hunter, based on Lord of the Flies by William Golding
•  Benjamin et al. v. Napoleon et al., based on Animal Farm by George Orwell
•  State of Ohio v. John Cameron Butler, based on The Light in the Forest by  Conrad Richter
•  State of Ohio v. Philip Malloy, based on Nothing but the Truth by Avi
•  State of California v. George Milton, based on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
•  Rhode Island v. C. Doyle, based on True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
•  State of Ohio v. Fred Smith, based on Bloodstain by Christopher Rowan 
•  Oklahoma v. J. Case, based on The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

An additional case, The People v. Dr. Gimesby Roylott, based on The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is available as a free download.  This can give your students the opportunity to practice a whole or parts of a mock trial before diving into a larger case.  

Middle School Mock Trial Showcase

Give your students a chance to show what they know!  Stu­dents are eval­u­ated by at­tor­neys and judges, giv­ing them an op­por­tu­nity to show­case their knowl­edge in a re­al­is­tic way.  The show­case is open to all Ohio mid­dle school teams.

Important Dates:

Registration Deadline - Friday, March 22, 2019
Withdrawal Deadline -  Tuesday, April 2, 2019 – no refunds after this date
Mock Trial Showcase Day 1 – Thursday, May 2, 2019         
Mock Trial Showcase Day 2 – Friday, May 3, 2019  
Mock Trial Showcase Day 3 – Friday, May 10, 2019      

Registration Information 

• Team Registration
• Team Roster 
• Scoring Rubric
• Behavior Standard Form
• Photo Release Form
• Team Chaperone List
• Team Drop List
• Driving and Parking Information

Registration is limited to 2 teams per school unless space is available after the registration deadline. 

Teams can choose to participate in any of the three days based on schedule and availability.  Teams will be placed on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Please contact Danielle Wilmot, dwilmot@oclre.org (614) 485-3507 with questions.

How do I get started?

If you or your school/organization are new to Ohio Mock Trial, welcome! First, you need the case file… The case is released annually at the Law & Citizenship Conference. Conference attendees are the first to receive their copy of the case and are also able to attend many mock trial related sessions, including the case presentation by members of the case writing committee and OCLRE staff. In addition to the case file, conference attendees hear from top-notch speakers in the fields of civics, social studies, law, and government, and leave with 30+ lessons and resources. Additionally, if you register for the Law & Citizenship Conference, you will receive a discount on the cost of the case file. As part of the conference, you can also attend an intro to Mock Trial professional development day for only $10 (regularly $25).  This professional development session is intended for those who are new to mock trial, or who would like a refresher.

How many students do I need to make a Mock Trial team? 

Middle school teams consist of 6-12 students. High school teams consist of 5-11 students. At the high school level, teams cannot compete if they drop below the minimum number of students.

I am unable to attend the Law & Citizenship Conference but want to get the Mock Trial case. What do I do?!

Take a deep breath and relax. You can still order the case! Complete the form under the "Case File" tab and the case file will be sent to you. Please note that cases will not be sent until after the Law & Citizenship Conference in September. 

I’ve got my case materials. Is that all? Am I ready to for the competition/showcase?

No, not yet. Team registration is a separate cost and registration form. Most team advisors wait until closer to the registration deadline to make sure that student interest hasn’t waned and to be certain of the number of teams they will field. 

My students and I are struggling with start-up. Who can help us? 

OCLRE has teacher mentors for all of its programs, including mock trial. Teacher mentors have expressed willingness to help other teachers who are new to a program, to answer questions from the teacher perspective or offer advice. Click Here to access a list of mentors. You can also contact the Mock Trial Program Coordinator Danielle Wilmot, dwilmot@oclre, (614) 485-3507. 

How much time should my students and I spend on practice and preparation?

The short and simple answer is: it varies. Some teams are classroom-based and therefore spend class time each week preparing. Other teams are extra-curricular and meet one or more times per week, before or after school or on weekends. Others may only have time to meet a few times per month. There is no right or wrong answer. Figure out what works best for you, your fellow advisors (if any), and your students. 

I don’t have a legal advisor. Do I need one?

OCLRE does not require that mock trial teams have a legal advisor, however, most teachers appreciate assistance from volunteer attorneys, who help students understand case law, courtroom procedure and etiquette. Often times a mock trial legal advisor is the parent of a student or a local attorney who volunteers in his/her community. The time commitment for volunteer legal advisors varies and is worked out between the teacher/team advisor and attorney. If you are unable to find a legal advisor, contact Danielle Wilmot, dwilmot@oclre, and OCLRE may be able to put you in contact with an interested local attorney.   Middle School Mock Trial relies less heavily on legal advisors than the high school program; however, all grade levels are welcome to work with a legal advisor.

When and where do my students compete? 

High School:  District Competition (the first round of competition) takes place in January. To the greatest extent possible, teams are assigned to a competition site closest to their school. Competition site placement is based on a number of factors, including teams’ ability to travel and courtroom availability at local competition sites. Teams that win both trials (having played both P and D) at the District level advance to Regional Competition in February. Teams that win both trials at Regional Competition will advance to State Competition, in March in Columbus. The state champion team is eligible to compete in the National Mock Trial Competition.

Middle School:   The middle school state showcase will take place at the Ohio Supreme Court in May. There will be three showcase dates to choose from, but teams will only participate on one day; teachers may choose the day that works best for their schedule. 

I have a question about or found a discrepancy in, the facts of the case and/or a witness statement. What do I do?

OCLRE will post errata on the Mock Trial page every two weeks beginning in October and going through January. Errata questions must be submitted by the teacher or legal advisor, not students, and should be directed to dwilmot@oclre.org.

((High School) It’s competition day and there is inclement weather in my part of the state/school is delayed/school is closed, etc. What do I do?

If your team cannot make it to the competition site, please immediately notify the district/regional competition coordinator where you are scheduled to compete (available in January) as soon as possible. You should also notify OCLRE by contacting Danielle Wilmot, dwilmot@oclre, (614) 485-3507. Teams are expected to follow school district policy and/or common sense when making the decision whether or not to travel in inclement weather. Most importantly: safety should come first! The scheduling of make-up competitions is at the discretion of OCLRE and the affected site coordinators (please see page 10 of the case manual for make-up competition policy).

My school doesn’t have a mock trial team, but I want to get involved. What can I do?

Are you a student? Start by talking to a teacher – it could be a social studies teacher, the drama teacher, or even the principal. If you and five or more interested students are willing to take on the challenge, the teacher may be willing, too. There is some expense involved, so make sure to factor that into consideration. If you get buy-in from school personnel, refer the person to the top of this list of FAQs for next steps. If a student can’t convince a teacher in his/her school, please contact OCLRE. On occasion, there are non-school affiliated community teams or other opportunities to get involved.

I am having trouble with the online order form and am getting frustrated. What should I do?

Don’t worry – OCLRE is here to help! Call us at (614) 485-3510 or toll-free at (877) 485-3510 and ask for Cathy. She can guide you through problems and make sure you get what you need. Additionally, Cathy can answer questions about usernames and passwords, as well as payment options. OCLRE endeavors to continually improve our online order and registration processes to benefit our constituents and your feedback helps us to do so.

What are the payment options for online orders and registrations? Do I have to use a credit card?

OCLRE offers several payment options. You may pay with a credit card, request to be invoiced, or enter a purchase order (PO) number. If the PO number is not known at the time an order is placed, you may select the purchase order option and then enter “pending” for the number.

How do I know if my order/registration has been completed successfully?

When orders and registrations have been submitted successfully to OCLRE, an automatic email confirmation is generated and should arrive in your inbox within minutes. If you do not receive a confirmation email within an hour, please contact OCLRE. 

A few helpful hints for proper form completion:

• Follow the process all the way through, using the “Next” and “Submit” buttons.
• Complete all required (*) fields or you will not be able to proceed/finish
• Complete the payment portion of the form, even if you are not paying by credit card.
• Other options that you can select include requesting an invoice or entering a PO number (or indicate that a PO is in process and the number is “pending”)