Currently, the Honors Civics students at Lewis-Palmer High School are studying law and the United States court system. Part of the curriculum for this subject is to conduct a mock trial.

“I started doing the trial as a mandatory project in 2011,” Carrie Coates, Lewis-Palmer Civics teacher, explained. “It sounded like a lot of fun to me because the trial is about Jack murdering the giant, which is an idea I got from the internet. I also just wanted to give my students more of a hands on activity to get a better idea of how a court room actually works.”

Preparing for a court trial can be a trying task. The students had a week to prepare for the trial and complete their assigned requirements – preparing opening and closing statements and learning more about the United States jury and how it works. Each student had different things they needed to prepare in order to make their argument and win the case.

“I have been preparing for the trial since Mrs.Coates told us that we were going to do this project last semester,” Jason Shugar, 9, said. “I wanted to make sure that my side was ready to win the trial, because winning is important. Being the defense attorney, I definitely need to have a lot of things prepared, in order to win the trial. We have to prepare questions to ask the witnesses, rebuttals to anything they could possibly say and we also have to have our opening and closing statements.”

According to The Faculty Lounge website, 139,262 students were enrolled in law school for the 2012-2013 school year.  Letting students pick their roles in the mock trial helps to give them a better sense of the courtroom, and of jobs in law they might want to have in the future.

“I am on the prosecution team and I think it will be something I will really enjoy,” Annie Ackerman, 9, said. “I am basically the opposite of your average person because I really enjoy public speaking.  I think that is what I will enjoy the most is getting to speak out, say my opinion, and make a point for my case.”

Many people believe it is important for students to learn about the United States government and how a typical court case works. Whether they are chosen as a jury member, or they become a defendant, plaintiff, lawyer, or judge, it is important for the students to understand the mechanics of our court system.

“There is so much involved in a trial and so doing the trial is much easier rather than just teaching a lesson,” Coates said. “Whether you are a lawyer or a jury member, there is so much work that goes on in a courtroom because of the work involved, so the students really get a better sense of what is like to participate in a courtroom.”

By participating in the annual mock trial, students were given the opportunity to gain knowledge of the United States court system and how it functions on a daily basis. These skills could be very beneficial to them later in life. Carrie Coates will continue to run the mock trial for many years to come.