Mock Trial is an intercollegiate activity with teams from all over the country competing in a courtroom setting. University of Arizona has been competing in the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) since 2002. Our main objectives are to learn about the trial process and to sharpen both our public speaking and critical thinking skills.
Mock Trial is a combination of speech, debate, and acting. Students take on the roles of witnesses and attorneys to simulate a trial. Each year the American Mock Trial Association prepares a legal case with witness statements, case law, statues, and exhibits. In the first few months of the academic year, teams throughout the United States analyze the case and create arguments for both the plaintiff/prosecution and the defense. Every team has three attorneys and three witnesses. Each student is assigned a role as a witness, an attorney, or both. The teams compete by arguing their cases in courtroom settings.
The University of Arizona also holds an invitational tournament. This year we are proud to have held the 4th Annual Great Sonoran Showdown in Tucson, Arizona. It was Saturday, November 5th and Sunday, November 6th at the Pima County Superior Courthouse. We are one of the few invitational tournaments to use courtrooms for each round. For more information click on the tournament tab.
