2007-2008 Mock Trial

The Minnesota High School Mock Trial Program is an exciting law-related education program that introduces student to the American legal system and provides a challenging opportunity for personal growth and achievement.  As part of the mock trial program, you will exercise your critical thinking and teamwork skills, as well as the basic skills learned in the classroom. 

Program Objectives: Mock Trials help you gain a practical understanding of the way the American legal system functions.  While learning the details of trial procedure, you will develop important lifetime skills:  critical analysis of problems, reasoning, listening, oral presentation and extemporaneous argument.  Mock trials provide an active learning opportunity for students and require a high level of cooperation among participants.

Participating in the Program:  The program is open to students in grades 9-12.  A team of 8-14 members.  Students work with a local attorney "coach" (Stacy Vinberg) and a teacher "coach" (Carol Gorder) as they prepare the case.

For More Information:  www2.mnbar.org/mock trial/ Mock Trial

Competition Schedule

    Round 1:

    Round 2:

    Round 3: (Regional Playoffs) On Tuesday February 14,  at Murray County Court House  at 9:00 a.m. Canby will be  the Defense, and lauvarne will be the Prosecution

MSBA
A MINNESOTA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION - 2007 HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL PROGRAM
Sponsored by
Minnesota State Bar Association
Adapted with permission from an original case by the Illinois Slate Bar Association
People of the State of Rigor,
On behalf of Mortis County Cemetery, }
its personnel and patrons )
v. ) Z’/o. 424 2006
Jesse Dubois and Pat Dowling )
 

Stipulations:

I. The event being prosecuted occurred on the evening of September 28, 2006, and the early morning of September 29, 2006; summer visiting hours were in effect as the event fell during Daylight Savings Time.

2. All parties agree that the weather was rainy off and on all day on the 28th, with periods
heavy rain and all parties agree that the rain stopped sometime before midnight.

3. It is also stipulated that Shelby Cullom is the owner of the 2004 Volkswagen Galactic Blue Beetle, with a distinctive white half-moon logo on the driver’s side door; Rigor license SC 2004.

4. Shelby Cullom’s plea agreement is recognized by all parties as being valid and an official offer by the State’s Attorney that has been accepted by Cullom and entered by the Judge.

5. All parties agree that damages to the monuments and markers at the Cemetery exceed
$500 total.

6. All students in the trial problem are to be considered minors. As such, Cullom’s plea agreement is not public; however, his/her admission information is in his/her witness statement.

7. Police officers and government officials adhered to all constitutionally and statutorily required investigative procedures, including administering proper Miranda warnings prior to custodial interrogation, contacting parents prior to questioning minors, securing warrants consent, or having probable cause with exigencies prior to conducting any search of persons or property. The parties do not stipulate to the weight, credibility or admissibility under the rules of evidence of any evidence gathered by the police: the parties merely stipulate that no evidence should be suppressed or excluded based on unconstitutional investigative techniques.
 

8. Officer Mathewson is qualified as an expert in the field of fingerprint and shoe print analysis and may testily as to the forensics report with a reasonable degree of scientific certainty.

9. All sentences given in the State of Rigor are imposed by the Judge after a defendant is guilty as charged. Therefore, the sentence to be imposed, other than the fact that the defendants may receive a sentence of imprisonment should they be convicted of any of the charged offenses, should not be the subject of questioning, discussion or argument in the case.

I 0. Each witness is bound by the facts contained in his/her witness statement. The statements should be considered signed and sworn statements of the witnesses, regardless of the presence or absence of a signature on the statement.