Criminal Law: Issues of youth violence, homicide, and privacy
When a high school senior shoots a fellow student and claims self-defense, the testimony of a psychotherapist becomes critical. In an optional pretrial motion, students can argue whether the admission of such testimony is a violation of the psychotherapist-patient privilege. The trial itself examines the Battered Person Syndrome and the imperfect self-defense at trial.
Mock trials developed by the Constitutional Rights Foundation include the facts of a hypothetical case, witness statements, relevant legal authorities, complete trial instructions, and procedural guidelines. Each also contains an optional pretrial motion designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of constitutional issues related to the criminal trial process.
Mock trials at this grade level are not scripts, but rather give a set of facts and allow witnesses and lawyers to create testimony and questioning consistent with the facts. They typically have about eight speaking parts. They can usually be presented in one class period or adapted to be presented in that period, but most could take more time if it were available. These mock trials are suggested for use with students in grades 7-12.
Other mock trials are also available at the same price (see below).
