2023-2024 CONTRA COSTA MOCK TRIAL
The 42nd Annual Contra Costa County High School Mock Trial Needs You!
Contra Costa County Office of Education is seeking volunteers from members of the county bar to give a few hours of time to the 2023-2024 Contra Costa County Mock Trial Program. This season, Mock Trial will be in-person and your expertise is needed in scoring and inspiring the efforts of future attorneys.
What is Required: Volunteers will watch and score court proceedings while students, acting as witnesses and attorneys, try an entire case in a timed exchange.
Volunteer Sign-Up: Mock Trial Presiding Judge Volunteer Form
Volunteer Sign-Up: Mock Trial Attorney Scorer Volunteer Form
Judge/Attorney Handbook
2023-2024 Case: The case brief will be released on September 1, 2023. The case will be released on September 7, 2023 at 3:00 pm. The county coordinator will send the link and password to all registered teams.
Schedule for 2023-2024 Contra Costa County High School Mock Trials:
PRELIMINARY TRIALS: Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Thursday, February 1, 2024
QUARTERFINALS: Tuesday, February 6, 2024
SEMIFINALS: Thursday, February 8, 2024
FINALS: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
MOCK TRIAL OVERVIEW
The Mock Trial Program is sponsored by Teach Democracy (formerly Constitutional Rights Foundation). Each year, Teach Democracy creates a mock trial that addresses serious matters facing young people today.
Coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), the annual Mock Trial competition in Contra Costa County is a hands-on educational program created to help high school students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society.
Each team works with teacher and attorney coaches to prepare their version of the criminal case, both from the prosecution and defense perspective. Students assume the roles of trial attorneys, pretrial motion attorneys, witnesses, clerks and bailiffs. Through these role-playing techniques, students learn about the content and processes of law in an exciting and vibrant way. By studying the case and preparing strategies and arguments for trial, students also increase their public speaking skills, analytical ability and team cooperation.
Designed for competition at the high school level, some schools offer the Mock Trial Program as a class rather than an extra-curricular activity.
ART AND JOURNALIST CONTESTS
Students may also participate in the Mock Trial competition as Courtroom Artists and Courtroom Journalists. Both are companion competition programs to Mock Trials.
Courtroom Art Contests - As courtroom artists, students accompany their Mock Trial teams and sketch courtroom scenes that are later judged by a team of art judges. The winner of the art competition represents Contra Costa County at the state finals. Artist rules and registration information can be found here.
Courtroom Journalism Contest - Interested students are given the opportunity to report on a Mock Trial from the perspective of a journalist. As courtroom reporters, students accompany their school's Mock Trial team to the preliminary rounds of the competition. Courtroom reporters write and submit one 500 word news article on the trial they attended. Articles are judged by a panel of specialists. The winner represents Contra Costa County at the state finals. Journalist rules and registration can be found here.
CONTACTS