Debate · Formats · Mock trial
Mock Trial
Teams play the attorneys and witnesses in a made-up court case, from opening statements to closing arguments.
- Who
- High school and college students on teams that prepare both sides of one case for the season.
- Teams
- Teams of about 6 to 12; each side has two or three attorneys and two or three witnesses
- Length
- A trial takes about two to three hours
- Topic
- A case packet released before the season: the charges or claims, witness statements, exhibits and rules.
How it differs from debate
Debaters argue a resolution; mock trial teams argue facts in a case, inside courtroom rules. The skills overlap: cross-examination in mock trial is a close cousin of cross-ex in debate (short questions, one fact at a time), and openings and closings are persuasive speeches.
State winners in high school can go on to the National High School Mock Trial Championship, held since 1984. College teams compete through the American Mock Trial Association, founded in 1985.
What it rewards
- Careful reading of the case packet
- Direct and cross-examination of witnesses
- Knowing the rules of evidence and making objections
- Convincing openings and closings, and believable witnesses
How to start
- Ask your state’s bar association about its high school competition; many supply the case, rules and volunteer attorney coaches.
- Read the case packet twice, once for each side.
- Practice a short direct examination with open questions and a cross-examination with leading questions.
Varies by league or state
- High school competitions are run state by state, usually by bar associations, each with its own case and rules. College mock trial uses one case and rule set for all schools.
Always check the rules your tournament publishes; they win over anything here.
Rules and sources
- Mock trial, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Mock Trial Activity Offers Insider's View to Judicial System, NFHS. Accessed 2026-10-25.
Speech times checked against the sources above on 2026-10-25.