Mock Trial
Welcome to the 2026 Utah Mock Trial Season!
Ready to challenge yourself like never before? Mock Trial isn’t just another academic activity. It’s an unforgettable, real-world experience that blends critical thinking, quick decision-making, and teamwork. You’ll step into the roles of attorneys, witnesses, and bailiffs, working with your team to present a legal case in an actual courtroom. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your speaking, reasoning, and analytical skills while forming friendships that last long after the season ends.
Why It Matters in the Classroom
The Utah Mock Trial Program is an experiential civic education opportunity that directly supports the Utah Core Standards for U.S. Government & Citizenship. Through realistic courtroom simulations, students:
Apply Foundational Principles like the rule of law, the social contract, and constitutional rights.
Experience the Judicial Branch in Action and its role in our system of checks and balances.
Analyze Civil Liberties and Rights using case studies and precedent.
Practice Civic Roles and Responsibilities by serving as jurors, attorneys, and witnesses.
Develop Civic Skills and Dispositions—collaboration, critical thinking, resilience, and respectful dialogue.
A Statewide Tradition Since 1980
Founded to teach students their rights and responsibilities as citizens, the Utah Mock Trial Program engages more than 1,000 students, 80 teachers, 350 attorneys, and 100 community members each year in over 110 trials statewide. The High School State Champion advances to Nationals, representing Utah on the national stage.
Open to all public and private secondary schools in Utah, Mock Trial will push you, inspire you, and show you what you’re capable of. Step into the courtroom and discover what you’re made of.
Contact
Director of Mock Trial
Melissa Orton
m.orton@utahlawrelatededucation.org