Mock Trial Programs in Alameda County & Contra Costa County
We are committed to providing meaningful volunteer opportunities for attorneys and judges who are interested in working with high school students.
Please contact us to volunteer your skills and expertise.
Alameda County
The Mock Trial Competition is a national program through which students learn key concepts of our judicial system and hone critical thinking and debate skills.
In the competitions, teams of high school students portray key players in the courtroom in a simulation of a criminal case with a pretrial motion of a Bill of Rights issue.
Local judges preside, and attorneys rate the students’ performances from the jury box. These competitions are usually held in January and February at the Alameda County Superior Court Administration Building.
Volunteer & Contact Information for Alameda County
For more information or to sign up to volunteer for one or more of the evenings, contact:
Jenny Keystone
Mock Trial Attorney-Judge Coordinator
Phone: (510) 206-7366
Email:
Contra Costa County
Mock Trial is an academic program in which schools compete at the county, state and national levels.
The trials are a simulation in which students portray each of the key players in the cast of courtroom characters. The program allows students to acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system and encourages them to develop their analytical abilities and communication skills while gaining increased self-confidence.
We need 2nd and 3rd year law students to act as scorers and sit in the jury box with attorneys, while student teams present their case to a judge or a commissioner.
Scorers are given a set of criteria by which the two participating teams are rated numerically. The criteria include the quality of the students’ presentations, their grasp of the law and court procedures, and their understanding of the case itself.
You can volunteer to score as many trials as you would like, the time commitment is minimal and only requires volunteers to attend a brief (20 min.) meeting prior to the beginning of each trial. No experience is necessary, although it is helpful to have taken Evidence and Constitutional Law.
Volunteer & Contact Information for Contra Costa County
Download and fill out this application: Mock Trial Attorney Application
Once you return the volunteer form, the Contra Costa County Office of Education will send you the case and scoring criteria. These competitions are usually held in February and March at the County Superior Courthouse in Martinez.
If you have any questions, or are interested in volunteering for this program, please contact:
Jonathan Lance
Phone: (925) 942-3429
Email:
Or,
Michele Vasta
Phone: (925) 370-2548
Email:
