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USC Mock Trial Team members are students with interests including Law, Fine Arts, Science, Politics, Business, the world and their communities. They participate in Mock Trial to learn more about all of the above.

The Team competes on the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) circuit. AMTA's website is www.collegemocktrial.org.

More than 562 teams from colleges and universities nationwide compete against each other by presenting either the prosecution/plaintff or defense side of a case. Each side presents an Opening Statement, Direct & Cross Examination of 3 prosecution/plaintiff's witnesses and 3 defense witnesses, and Closing Arguments.

Students must learn and argue the rules of evidence of the “State of Midlands” (the Federal Rules of Evidence).


Students are expected to be familiar with trial procedure, courtroom decorum, evidentiary objections and proper examination techniques. Cases alternate yearly between criminal and civil matters. Depending on the nature of the case, Team members learn relevant sections of the Model Penal Code and the Restatement of Torts (Second).

Our program fields four competitive squads of six to eight persons each, per season. During a season, every squad typically attends one away-tournamant, one local invitational tournament and one regional tournament. Thereafter, two squads usually attend national tournaments, out-of-state. All travel and accomodations are graciously sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences.

In addition to being active competitors, our members are interested in justice -- particularly learning to secure access to justice for those who are traditionally denied it. Accordingly, Team members volunteer with public advocacy projects, observe ground breaking trial proceedings and attend seminars and events in the legal community. We were recently featured in USC's faculty journal, the "'USC Chronicle." Read the article here.

Learn more about our latest endeavors on our News page.

 
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