By clicking on the links to the left,
you can download all the materials necessary to conduct a 1-2
day mock criminal jury trial in your classroom. For middle and
high school students, a mock trial affords a look inside a courtroom
and a better understanding of how our justice system operates.
The
names and circumstances of State of Maryland v. Chris Smith
are made up, but the issues are real, the problems facing the
jury are realistic, and the trial has been reviewed by a judge
to ensure that it accurately portrays what happens in a courtroom.
The
trial provides roles both large and small for 17-35 students.
In addition to teaching what happens during a trial, it should
provide plenty of discussion topics about the law, the legal
system and the constitutional rights of individuals. Most important,
it allows students to confront the same kinds of decisions that
citizens face when they serve on juries; weighing facts and
arguments and trying to make the right decision about the guilt
or innocence of a defendant. For more information, or if you
have any questions, email the Court Information Office or contact
via phone at 410/260-1488.
Note:
none of the characters in this script or accompanying documents
are real. Any resemblance between the characters and any person,
living or dead, is coincidental. The “crime” that
occurred in State v. Smith is obviously not a real one. This
was a conscious choice made to enable students to concentrate
on the legal process.
