W&M Collegiate Mock Trial Team
W&M Collegiate Mock Trial Team
A. Mock Trial is a competition in which two teams try a criminal or civil case against each other, with one team as the prosecution (plaintiff) and one team as the defense. In competition, the students use the Federal Rules of Evidence, along with a number of case strategies, in order to simulate an actual trial experience. Students play both attorneys and witnesses; attorneys are responsible for direct examinations, cross examinations, openings and closings, while witnesses participate in direct examination and cross. The American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) sanctions the competitions and provides a new case each year.
A. The mock trial team competes in at least one invitational tournament in the fall, and the regional qualifying tournament in the spring.
A. Competition involves 6-8 people per team. You are expected to try a prepared case both as the plaintiff/prosecution and defense. Each side calls 3 witnesses, with a lawyer to question each witness. Witnesses are also cross-examined and lawyers must cross-examine witnesses from opposing teams. Each side also makes an opening and closing statement. Judges, typically local attorneys, score the each examination from 1-10 based on a number of criteria including content, performance, poise, and comfort in the courtroom.
Q. Is it a lot of work and a big time commitment?
A. It really depends on the person and their role on the team. Some people find that an attorney role entails lots of work, and that being a witness is easier. Some find the exact opposite. Either way, when we work together as a team, the work will be far from overwhelming. Like a sport, mock trial has practices and meetings to prepare for competitions. Generally, we meet once a week for 1-2 hours at times that will fit the schedules of members of the team. During the week or two preceding the tournament, we will meet twice a week. Because attorneys and witnesses are expected to come to meetings prepared, individual preparation is crucial. This is a competitive team, and the only way to be competitive is to prepare competitively.
Q. Will mock trial help me get into law school?
A. The most important factors in determining whether you get into law school are your GPA and your LSAT score. Although, mock trial cannot compensate for a weak academic record, law schools understand that students with a mock trial background are a step ahead in terms of knowledge of legal rules and procedures, communication skills and critical thinking ability. Some law schools offer scholarships to students who receive individual recognition at the national level. Trial advocacy programs particularly value the mock trial experience. Recent William and Mary Mockers have gone on to attend law schools such as Harvard University Law School, University of Notre Dame Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and William & Mary's Marshall-Wythe School of Law.
A. First off, you can e-mail the team at mocktr@wm.edu to let us know you are interested in joining the team. We also encourage you to come to our first meeting where the team will be looking at each prospective members' strengths and public speaking experiences based off an interest sheet and will be assigned a role accordingly.
Q. Why would I want to join mock trial?
Like most things in life, winning in a courtroom can be as much about presentation as content, and mock trial will teach how to master both: everything from which gestures are most effective and which words have the most psychological impact on the listener. Traditionally, the William and Mary Mock Trial team has done extremely well in regional and national tournaments, and we welcome you to be part of our success!
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