2019

Regional Mock Trial

Important Dates To Remember• November 10, 2018: Student Clinic in Dallas, Texas

rsvp by November 7, 2018 with State Coordinator Melissa Garcia mgarcia@dallasbar.org

• December 15, 2018: Deadline to register with Dallas Bar Association-fee $175.00 (online)

• December 20, 2018: Deadline for entering Regional Competition at Region One ESC. The fee is $150.00 for the competition. (Through Region One Website)

• January 19, 2019: Regional Competition at Hidalgo County Courthouse

• Finals January 21, 2019 Hidalgo County Courthouse

http://www.esc1.net/site/default.aspx?PageID=1

COMPETITION DAY

• Turn in your Texas High School Competition

REGIONAL ENTRY FORM via email which

will be sent after you register with Region One.

You may change from Now up until the FIRST

ROUND of the competition. Once your team is

registered in the morning, there will be no more

additions and/or substitutions allowed.

Photograph Release Form

TASKS OF THE TEACHER COACH

• There is much to “teach” in preparing a mock trial team; however, please keep all of their tasks in proper perspective with the fact that it is the educational value of the mock trial competition that is the primary purpose of the program. Healthy competition helps to achieve this objective; however, keeping the competitive spirit at a reasonable level is one of the greatest challenges for the advisors and the team. A reality of the adversary system is that one party wins; the other party loses. Either outcome should be accepted graciously and in a mature manner by the team, the observers, and the coaches.

1. Be the liaison between district/regional/state coordinator and your team;

2. Contact an attorney to serve as an attorney-advisor to your team –schedule meetings;

3. Distribute mock trial materials to all team members and attorney-advisor;4. Develop student understanding of rules of the competition; 5. Develop student understanding of trial procedure;

6. Develop understanding of the Federal Rules of Evidence (Mock Trial version) included in the case materials;

7. Assist team members in developing and evaluating strategies for each side of the case;

8. Assist team members in case organization and preparation;9. Make role assignments;10.Evaluate team members’ performance in practice sessions;

11.Accompany team to each round of competition and stay with your team during each round;

12.Assist team in arriving on time for each round of competition;

13.Keep school informed about team’s participation and advancement in competition by making announcements on P. A., in school newspaper, bulletin boards, etc.; and,

14.Invite parents, school administrators, and other interested person to attend the trials.

RULES OF COMPETITION

Key Points

Rule 1.2 Code of Ethic

Every team must also submit a

“Code of Ethical Conduct.” This

form must also be submitted at

registration and must be signed

by all team members, including the

coach and attorney advisor.

Rule 3.1 Team Eligibility• A team shall be composed of students between 14-19 years

old. (A)

• Must meet TEA requirements for participation, as described by the “no pass no play” academic eligibility rules for UIL. (B)

• Participation in a trial by an ineligible team member will result in the forfeiture of each round in which such participation occurred. (C)

• Ineligible team members can only observe. They are not allowed to participate. (E)

• A team consists of a minimum of six and a maximum of ten

members assigned to attorney, witness, and time keeper roles.

• If a team has less than seven student members the team must

defer to the opponents official timekeeper in all rounds.

• The team roster will become official at the time of on site

registration.

• After the first round of the first tournament no team for any

reason substitute any other person for an official team member

Rule 3.2. Team Composition

Team Presentation

• Teams must present both the

Prosecution/Plaintiff and Defense/Defendant

sides of the case, using team members in each

round.

• For each trial round, teams will use three members

as attorneys, three members as witnesses, and one

timekeeper.

Rule 3.4 Team Duties

• Team members must evenly divide their duties.

Each of the three attorneys will conduct one

direct examination and one cross examination; in

addition, one will present one opening statement

and another will present one closing argument.

Team Duties

• Both sides must give an opening and closing statement

• The attorney who examines a particular witness on direct examination is the only person who may make the objections to the opposing attorney’s questions and cross-examination.

• Each three must call all three of its assigned witnesses.

Team Roster Form

• TEAM ROSTERS SHOULD ALREADY BE

DUPLICATED AND FILLED OUT BY EACH

TEAM BEFORE EACH ROUND.

• PLEASE PROVIDE ENOUGH COPIES FOR

THE PRESIDING JUDGE, OTHER JUDGES

AND OPPOSING COUNSEL BEFORE THE

ROUND BEGINS. (4-6 PER TRIAL)

Rule 4.11 Supplemental Material • Teams may refer to materials only included in

the case packet.

• No illustrative or demonstrative aids of any kind may be used. The only exhibits allowed are in the packet. They cannot be enlarged in any way.

• No props, costumes, excessive hairstyles allowed.

Rule 5.5. Team Advancement

● 1. Win/Loss Record- Equals the number of rounds won or lost by a team

● 2. Total Number of Ballots- Equals the number of scoring judges’ votes a team gained in preceding rounds

● 3. Total Number of Points Accumulated Each Round;

● 4. Point Spread Against Opponents- the point spread is the difference between the total points earned by the team whose tie is being broken less the total points of that team’s opponents in each previous round. The greatest sum of these points spreads will break the tie in favor of the team with the largest cumulative point spread.

Rule 5.7 Power Match at the State

Championship Tournament

• a. Opponent matches will be random in the first round only. A

power-match system will determine opponents for all other

rounds. The four highest ranked teams from the four

preliminary rounds will advance to the semi-final round.

Teams will be seeded for the semi-final round, even if they

have faced each other in a preliminary round. The winners of

the semi-final rounds will face each other in the final round.

The State Champion team will be determined by ballots from

the championship round only.

• b. For preliminary rounds 2, 3 and 4, the competition

will employ a “power match” system. The system will

match teams within brackets based on the criteria set

forth in §5.5. The brackets will initially be formed

using only win-loss record and opponents for the

power match will be based on that record. Teams will

be sorted based on the additional criteria set forth in

§5.5 for the further purpose of the power match. The

team with the highest number of ballots or speaker

points, in the bracket will be matched with the team

with the lowest number of ballots in the bracket; the

next highest with the next lowest, and so on until all

teams are paired.

• c. If there is an odd number of teams within a bracket, the top team from the next lower bracket will be advanced up and will face the top team in the higher bracket. (Example – After the second round, there are 7 teams with 2-0 records. The top 1-1 team will be drawn into the 2-0 bracket to face the top 2-0 team).

• d. Team will not face the same opponent twice in the preliminary rounds. To the greatest extent possible, teams will alternate side presentation in the preliminary rounds.

Number of Teams Qualifying for

State

• 1-9 competing teams:1 advances to state

• 10-19 competing teams: 2 advance to state

• 20-29 competing teams: 3 advance to state

• 30-39 competing teams: 4 advance to state

Rules REVIEW

Witnesses are not bound by facts contained in other

witnesses’ written statements. Witnesses may be

asked to respond to or comment on the prior live

testimony of other witnesses in the same trial.

Rule 2.2e Witnesses Bound

by Statements

The Team Roster Form will become official at the

time of on-site registration for a tournament in the

competition year. After the first round of that

tournament, no team may, for any reason, substitute

any other person for an official team member during

that tournament. Teams may alter their Team Roster

Form for subsequent competitions, but are bound by

these rules regarding substitutions once the Form has

become official.

Rule 3.2b Team Composition

Attorneys shall stand while addressing the court,

giving opening statement and closing arguments, and

for all objections. Attorneys may conduct direct

examination and cross examination while seated or

standing

Rule 4.16 Standing During Trial

General Suggestions For All

• Courtesy to witnesses, other attorneys, teammates and the judge

• Dress Appropriately: No school logos, uniforms, etc.

• Know your case inside and out

• Learn and Have FUN!!!

Mock Trial Teams Don'ts

• Do not argue or quarrel with a witness

• Don’t harass or intimidate the witness

• Don’t give the witness the opportunity to reemphasize the strong points made during direct examination

• Don’t read off scripted questions

• Don’t look down

• Don’t disrespect your teammates

• Don’t wear school colors, logos, symbols, etc

COACHING ADVICE • Stay encouraged and in the game• We have all started at the same place• Ask for help- you have more resources than you realize• Laugh!!! Enjoy your experiences with the students. It’s really all

about them. • Let them be in control---OWNERSHIP. They will listen more

to the attorney than you. Let them come up with their questions, opening and closing statements. Scripts don’t really work.

• As per the Hidalgo County

Courthouse: Absolutely no food or

drinks (water) of any kind in the

courtroom. For both audience

members and team players.

Food/Drinks

Photograph Release Form

Questions?

Contact Information

Olga Garza

Lead Program Assistant

956-984-6257 phone

956-984-7641 fax

ogarza@esc1.net

Liana I. Martinez

Region One Mock Trial Assistant Coordinator

956-984-6154 Phone

956-984-7641 fax

limartinez@esc1.net

Melissa Garcia

Law-Related education Coordinator

State Mock Trial Coordinator

Dallas Bar Association

214-220-7484 Phone

214-220-7465 Fax

mgarcia@dallasbar.org

Jose J. Saenz

Region One Mock Trial Coordinator

956-984-6172 Phone

956-984-7641 fax

jjsaenz@esc1.net