Ohio Middle School Mock Trial 

About Middle School Mock Trial

Combine middle school students' love of argument with a love of good literature. Middle School Mock Trial cases are literature-based, with cases constructed from books most commonly read in the middle grades. Students learn first-hand about the law, court procedures, and the judicial system while also building critical 21st-century skills.  

Middle School Mock Trial cases are based on pop­u­lar lit­er­a­ture, writ­ten by teams of teach­ers and lawyers.  Mid­dle school stu­dents act as wit­nesses and at­tor­neys to argue cases in­volv­ing their fa­vorite char­ac­ters.  The pro­gram was de­signed with Ohio’s Learn­ing Stan­dards for so­cial stud­ies and Eng­lish/lan­guage arts in mind and is ideal for in­ter­dis­ci­pli­nary teach­ing. Stu­dents read and an­a­lyze wit­ness state­ments drawn from the char­ac­ters in the books.  Stu­dents then work col­lab­o­ra­tively to de­velop ar­gu­ments for both sides and de­velop strate­gies to ques­tion the wit­nesses. 

OCLRE Mock Trial provides the opportunity for students to put together a coherent argument for their side of the case using furnished testimonial and physical evidence.  The comprehensive approach includes reading a case summary, trial briefs, and witness statements. 

Middle School Mock Trial has cases based on books commonly read at the middle school level.  OCLRE chooses one case to be the featured case at the State Showcase.

For questions, contact Danielle Wilmot at dwilmot@oclre.org or 614-485-3507

Testimonials

 "Mock Trial teaches students so much more than the legal process.  They develop teamwork strategies, critical thinking skills, and so much more.  The sense of accomplishment is overwhelming after they complete a trial.” ~ Amy Huber, Ridgeview Middle School

 “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about the legal system and to find their voices.” ~ Christine Spinner, St. Hilary School

 “Middle School Mock Trial benefits the students by improving their speaking skills and helping students overcome the fear of public speaking.  It encourages students to think outside the box and dive into subject matter that is not always familiar to them.” ~ Vicky Potter, Danville Middle School

 “The growth you will see in the children is well worth it!” ~Mehgan Lucas, Trellis Academy

 “It is a great, self-motivated chance for students to focus on presentation skills.” ~ Drew Farrell, Genoa Middle School

 “It’s a fun, unique way to expose kids to the law.  It involves public speaking and thinking on your feet.  I would encourage teachers to try it!” ~ Lisa Koo, Shalom Christian Academy

Mock Trial Case Files

2024 State Showcase Piece

We are excited to release a new edition of the Middle School Mock Trial case The Community v. Jonas, based on Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

Order the Middle School Mock Trial case HERE!

Errata Updates

Errata updates will be posted on this page, as well as the restricted webpage containing the case materials.  

The errata sheet serves to clarify or correct errors in the Mock Trial case and/or rules. The errata sheet does not address team strategy, coaching, or judging protocol. If a question received does not meet the criteria for errata (e.g., pertains to an evidence question), an email response will be sent to the individual advisor.

 Errata Update - 11/02/23

Case Materials Cost

Additional Middle School Mock Trial Cases

OCLRE offers 11 cases based on books commonly read at the Middle School level.  Any of these cases can be used in the classroom as a complement when educators might teach the book as part of the class. 

OCLRE rotates one case each year to be the featured State Showcase piece.  If you plan on attending the Showcase, make sure you purchase the featured case for that year.

You may order a past Middle School Mock Trial case HERE.

• State of Arizona v. Susanna Morales, based on Greystone Secrets: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• State of Texas v. Walker, based on Holes by Louis Sachar
• Oklahoma v. J. Case, based on The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• State of Mississippi v. T.J. Avery, based on Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
• British Crown v. Johnny Tremain, based on Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• State of Ohio v. Frankie Hunter, based on Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• Benjamin et al. v. Napoleon et al., based on Animal Farm by George Orwell
• State of Ohio v. Philip Malloy, based on Nothing but the Truth by Avi
• Rhode Island v. C. Doyle, based on True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
• State of Ohio v. Fred Smith, based on Bloodstain by Christopher Rowan 

An additional case, The People v. Dr. Gimesby Roylott, based on The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is available as a free download.  This can give your students the opportunity to practice a whole or parts of a mock trial before diving into a larger case.  

Questions?  Contact Program Coordinator, Danielle Wilmot at dwilmot@oclre.org, 614.485.3507.

Not a member yet?  You can easily join while registering for any OCLRE program!

Mock Trial Showcase

2024 Showcase Dates

The 2024 Middle School Mock Trial State Showcase will take place at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus, OH. Participating teams may choose one of the following three showcase dates:

Friday, April 19, 2024

Friday, May 3, 2024

Friday, May 17, 2024

Registration will be available in mid-December.

Team Registration Pricing

For more information on how to become involved with the Middle School Mock Trial pro­gram, please con­tact Danielle Wilmot at dwilmot@oclre.org or 614-485-3507.

Middle School Mock Trial Professional Development

2023 Mock Trial Conference

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 4th Annual Mock Trial Conference! Please refer to your confirmation email for information about session recordings. We hope to see you again next year!

Mock Trial Conference Cost

*Day 2 is only available to Introduction to Mock Trial Attendees who also attend Day 1. 

If you are interested in learning more about Middle School Mock Trial, please contact Danielle Wilmot (dwilmot@oclre.org).