<p>My US History class is having a made up court case in us history. Is there any weird terms or anything that I could use? I’m suppose to be an attorney, and not really sure how one really ‘acts’ like an attorney.</p>
<p>How do I appear professional when I do it?</p>
<p>Use the terms Prossmiory Estoppel, Capias, and standing to sue. That will make you sound like a lawyer.</p>
<p>Watch ‘Law and Order’ . Practice saying ‘Objection’, ‘Your Honor’, ‘sidebar’, ‘I request a recess’ and ‘No checks accepted’… :)</p>
<p>Wear them cool looking gray pinstripe suits also. The shiny ones. I need to get me a set of those.</p>
<p>One of the Attorneys won’t be in class tomorrow, for he’s in the hospital. How would I go about asking for a future date?</p>
<p>And what exactly would I write in the opening statement?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.abc.net.au/mocktrial/resources/resources.htm[/url]”>http://www.abc.net.au/mocktrial/resources/resources.htm</a>
<a href=“http://www.abc.net.au/mocktrial/glossary.htm[/url]”>http://www.abc.net.au/mocktrial/glossary.htm</a></p>
<p>^Those links might be helpful. The first one has some information about a specific case, which is probably irrelevant for you, but it also has some information about procedures, rules, etc.</p>
<p>I agree with Opptimizer… all there is to being a lawyer is jumping up in your seat to yell, “Objection!”, saying really rude things and then muttering haughtily, “Withdrawn, your honor,” and lastly, being able to calculate 30% of any given number. That’s it.</p>
<p>the ‘defendent’ and the opposite of the defendent… I think it starts with P…
I remember them from Judge Judy years ago…</p>
<p>
Prosecution, Jane, prosecution!!!</p>
<p>Or Plaintiff (if it’s a civil trial. Prosecution or Crown (for the British Commonwealths) if it’s criminal).</p>
<p>Speak Latin occasionally and look very mean and serious. Make sure your shoes are shiny. Extra points if you have gray hair and wrinkles.</p>
<p>You can look up the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure which govern the processs and conduct of proceredings in a Federal courtroom. While each State has its own rules they tend to model after the Federal Rules. Basics: The person bringing the action is the plaintiff or complainant; the person being sued is the defendant or respondent. Whether you represent the plaintiff or defendant in a civil case; or the government as prosecutor in a criminal case, you need to tell the story of your client: why you are bringing this action if you represent the plaintiff; or why you are prosecuting this defendant on behalf of the State as the case may be. You have pre-trial and then trial proceedings. You begin the case by filing a complaint on behalf the plaintiff and you file an Answer if you are the defendant in a civil case. The Answer sets forth your defenses, denials and reasons why this action fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; is barred by the statute of limitations (the person waited to long to complain); you may ask for a continuance by motion. Motion practice is the process for formally asking the court to take action. Motion to Request a Continuance; Motion to Compel Discovery when the other side has failed to answer interrogatories, i.e., questions, or failed to produce documents. At trial you request to “Voir dire” the jury pool, ask questions of the jurors to make sure they can be fair and unbiased. Motion for Summary Judgment can be requested by either side in a civil case stating that based on uncontroverted facts the law requires immediate judgment without juy trial. The Opening Statement tells the story of what facts will be put into evidence at trial; what the law is concerning this dispute and how that law applied to those facts results in a finding in favor of one party or another; The cloosing statement recounts the highlights of the trial in your favor to persuade the trier of fact, judge or jury, that your side should win because of the succeess or failure of the other side to prove their point. good luck</p>
<p>We had a trial for Cortez in my history class in ninth grade. My friend (who was Moctezuma) and I (who was the chief defense attorney) exchanged the “I want the truth! / You can’t handle the truth!” dialogue and the teacher almost fell out of her chair from laughter. But I lost and they convicted poor Senor Hernan.</p>
<p>Anyone know where to find examples of opening statements for mock trial?</p>