Mock trials are simulations of trial proceedings, with students playing the roles of attorneys, witnesses, jury and sometimes judge. Mock trials may be based on real contemporary cases of interest to students, hypothetical facts patterns, or historical events.
Mock trials help students gain a basic understanding of the legal mechanism through which society resolves many of its disputes. They provide teachers with a time-tested strategy for building important civic skills in their students like critical analysis, strategic thinking; questioning, listening, oral presentation, and extemporaneous argument skills.