CJS 481 Mock Trial

This course is for students interested in learning trial advocacy and presentation skills. Enrolled students will become members or will already be members of the The College of Saint Rose Mock Trial Team. The course will focus on the practice of tactics, planning, strategy, public speaking, presentation, leadership, teamwork, ethics, and competition. Each weekly class will focus on a single aspect of mock trial preparations, such as case overviews, strategies, theories, opening statements, witnesses, experts, testimony, direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments. Enrollment in this course and team is highly recommended for students interested in graduate careers involving law/law school, law enforcement, forensic psychology, expert witness testimony, advocacy, and overall public speaking skills. Attendance and participation in class will be mandatory and will include practice, videotaping and review using National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) feedback techniques shown to significantly improve public speaking and presentation skills. Each class will require prior reading and a pre-class assignment involving one or two of the skills above (for example, summary, theory, opening, closing, testimony).
The course will provide a basic framework for participation in The Mock Trial Team and its competitions in the spring and fall semesters each year. The course will utilize a written fact pattern and short NITA textbook (approximate total of 200 pages for both). The level of participation and commitment by students will vary depending upon the student’s respective role (for example, attorney roles take more time). For students interested in continuing with the Mock Trial Team in the future, those students can repeat the course each semester for 1 credit throughout their college careers as the fact pattern changes each year. Students who are less interested in participating in the Mock Trial Team after completion of the course can end participation. As members of the Mock Trial Team, students should expect at least one out-of-class team practice each week. Fall, Spring.

Credits

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