Why Join Mock Trial?

First and foremost, it’s fun! The club offers an immediate opportunity to meet people in a large university setting. It doesn’t take long to become attached to people whom you see on a regular basis, especially while collaborating on something as entertaining and original as a mock trial case.

Unleash your alter-ego. Mock trial is also the perfect chance to channel your creative, crazy, zealous, and/or (insert adjective here) passion for... anything. And as a reward, you can rack up individual recognition and accolades!

Learn something new. Mock trial isn’t like your typical class. Where else can you learn about fingerprint analysis, business partnerships, journalism, entomology (bugs), and the definition of “hearsay” in one place? From the ground up we pick a case theory, theme and presentation to improve as a group - it’s applied knowledge as a collaborative effort.

Improve your public speaking. As a member of the team, you’ll inevitably be given the chance to shine. By submerging yourself in a witness character, delivering a five minute opening, or conducting an examination of a witness, you’ll get more opportunities to perfect your oratorical skills than you could imagine. By the time the competitions arrive, team members revel and excel in the spotlight.

Perform in real courtrooms, in front of real attorneys and judges. Not many clubs at the University of Washington give undergraduates the opportunity to play a character or argue the law or ask for a guilty verdict in a real trial setting. Not many clubs provide the opportunity to work one-on-one with attorneys to help fine-tune your critical thinking and writing skills.

Travel. Colleges host mock trial tournaments across the country. We’ve taken road trips, ridden shuttles, and flown on airplanes to compete. Even better - we travel as a team that represents the University of Washington.

How to Join

Step 1: Contact us!

We’re happy to answer any questions that you might have regarding the basics of mock trial.  The time commitment is quite significant, but if you think that mock trial is something in which you’d like to get involved please let us know so we can send any updates regarding informational meetings, get togethers, etc.

Step 2: Attend an informational meeting

At the beginning of Fall Quarter we hold meetings so we can address any questions personally, and give you a feel of what it’s like to be part of the mock trial program at UW. We'll send along the dates for those meetings once you've expressed your interest.

Step 3: Sign up and prepare for a tryout

Things move quickly once the Fall Quarter starts - semester schools get a month’s head start, so in early October we’ll hold tryouts.  You'll be asked to deliver a short speech about a topic of your choosing, then coaches and program officers may ask you some questions to test your quick thinking. If you have prior mock trial experience please avoid using any material you prepared for competition.