Outreach and Community Involvement

 Benefits  Preparation  Material Selection  Conducting Trial  Debriefing

 Community outreach ◦ Courts role in the community ◦ Agency partnerships ◦ Public involvement ◦ Proactive contact  Educational opportunity ◦ Court processes ◦ Roll of Juror ◦ Understanding consequences

 Partnership with school ◦ Juvenile case management ◦ Champion the U.S. Judicial system ◦ Develop positive attitudes towards your court  Student exposure ◦ Future involvement as parties, witnesses or jurors in trials ◦ Exposure to law-related careers ◦ Develop Skills:  Critical analysis of problems  Strategic thinking  Questioning & Listening skills  Oral presentation & Extemporaneous argument  Preparing & Organizing material

 Outline critical educational points (goals) ◦ Develop questions for Debrief  Court personnel involvement: ◦ Judicial ◦ Prosecutor’s office ◦ Clerk staff ◦ Law enforcement  Contact local schools/agencies ◦ Elementary through High School ◦ Counselors, teachers, principals, etc. ◦ Useful in classes such as: Government, History, Debate, Criminal Justice ◦ Establish point of contact and coordination

 Know your participants & audience ◦ Use age appropriate interesting cases ◦ Select Type of Mock trial appropriate for group  Know your time frame ◦ For preparing & implementing  4 Major Types ◦ Fully-scripted w/ court staff ◦ Fully-scripted w/ students ◦ Role Play w/ court personnel as themselves ◦ Role Play w/ students as attorneys

 Court staff plays all roles/ students are the jury  Appropriate for: ◦ Younger students ◦ Court staff involvement ◦ Quick turnaround time ◦ Schools interested in field trips  Downfall: ◦ Lower involvement level  Unscripted Jury  Directed verdict

 Students read script and fill all major roles  Appropriate for: ◦ Middle School thru High School Grade Level ◦ Limited staff involvement ◦ Limited preparation time  Student volunteers necessary  More student involvement  Unscripted Jury  Directed verdict

 Unscripted ◦ Use a case summary of facts ◦ Provide reports & statements  For older students  Role Assignment: ◦ Students: defendant, witnesses, officers & jurors ◦ Staff: judge, attorneys, bailiff, clerk  Requires more preparation

 Students have more freedom with their characters and their responses  Benefits: ◦ Students are more involved ◦ Trial is more realistic ◦ Authenticity because professionals in own roles

 Appropriate for: ◦ High School age students ◦ Schools with debate programs ◦ Availability for time commitment  Benefit: ◦ Best learning experience for those involved ◦ Judge controls flow of event

 Preparation: ◦ Case selection & story development ◦ Schedule attorney meetings with student participants  Types of questions to ask  Prepare & present opening/closing statements  Witness prep  Reviews court proceedings, legal terms, what needs to be proved and simple objections

 Create your case ◦ Can choose an interesting case from your own court ◦ Look Online  Can find Case Summaries & Scripted Mock Trials  TMCEC website has both types available  k_trials.aspx k_trials.aspx

 Jury summons ◦ Secure a list of students that will be attending ◦ Prepare summons for jury duty to be given to all students in attendance  Subpoena’s for witnesses & officers  Provides a sense of reality to the mock trial  Prepare all relevant documents

 Separate actors from potential jurors ◦ Review last minute details with players in trial  Explain jury selection process ◦ Randomize and seat students as you would a jury ◦ Explain the process of jury selection  Summons  Challenge to the array  Voir dire  Premptive challenges  Jury Selection: Attorneys select jurors ◦ Select 2 juries if possible

 Conduct trial  Limit interruptions  Time Management  Note Observations for debrief ◦ At end of trial,  Separate the two juries for deliberation.  While jury deliberates, discuss trial with audience

 Debrief: ◦ Focus learning on goals ◦ Allows for questions ◦ Identify & expand on teachable moments  Debriefing process: ◦ Review the issues ◦ Discuss what can happen during deliberation ◦ Discuss strengths and weaknesses of both sides ◦ Does our system assure a fair trial? ◦ Are some parts of the trial more important than others? ◦ Would you trust a jury to determine your fate

 Practice ◦ Trial Type ◦ Presentation

Susie Garcia Court Administrator Lindsey Mena Juvenile Case Coordinator San Marcos Municipal Court of Record 630 East Hopkins St San Marcos, TX (512)