General Information - Constitutional Rights Foundation

General Information

School Registration | General Competition Information

General Competition Information

Location, Parking & Dates

LOCATION:

Los Angeles Superior Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles 90012, 2nd Floor, Dept. 2

PARKING: (Map)

Parking for cars will be available in the Juror Parking Lot (Lot 17), beginning at 4:00 p.m. on the day of each trial.
There is no parking available for buses. Students may be dropped off in front of the courthouse on Olive and 1st St. and on Grand Ave. between 1st St. and Temple Blvd.

SECURITY:

There are three entrances to the courthouse: Olive and 1st St.(bus drop off/pick-up); Grand and 1st St.; and Hill and 1st St.(bus drop off/pick-up).
All participants must pass through metal detectors. To avoid long lines, please plan to arrive at the courthouse early and do not bring any unnecessary items.
Courthouse security will not hold items that are not permitted in the courthouse. If you have a question as to whether or not something is allowed in the courthouse, please leave it in the car.
Remember, the less you bring, the quicker you will pass though the metal detectors and the less time you will spend in line. Consider having one or two backpacks for the entire team to place their belongings in.

ITEMS NOT PERMITTED IN THE COURTHOUSE INCLUDE:

Firearms of any type, except when in the possession of a state or federal law enforcement officer, who is on duty, and in the courthouse on official business of the law enforcement agency;
Any other object which can be readily used as a weapon, such as knives of any size, metal nail files, knitting needles, hair appliances, large metal combs, or scissors;
Hair spray or any other aerosol container;
Any controlled substances or illegal drugs;
Flammable liquids of any type.

Courtroom Rules

Judges chambers and Jury deliberation rooms are off-limits.
Participants shall bring no food or drinks into the courtroom.
Furniture such as counsel tables, jury room tables, desk, computer stands, etc. shall not be moved without prior consent.
If chairs are rearranged, they must be returned to their original locations.
Electrical cords, power strips, etc., shall not be unplugged or altered in any manner.
Participants shall not remove, handle personal or court-related items on desks, tables or benches and should not be touched.
Participants must pick up generated trash and dispose off the site.
Prior consent required prior to removing or replacing any items throughout the Courthouse facility.
Participant agrees to restore any alterations and damages to original or better condition.
Do not adjust chair heights or backs of chairs.

SCHOOL CHECK-IN:

Check-in for each round is 4:00 – 4:30 p.m in the hallway of the 2nd floor between Dept. 1 and Dept. 2. A school representative must check-in prior to the each trial. At check-in, your school will be given your room assignment. Once you receive your room assignment, please wait quietly outside your assigned courtroom until you are allowed to enter at 5:00 p.m. All schools must be at their assigned courtrooms by 5:00 p.m. Please note that prior to each round check-in is mandatory and your team may be disqualified if you fail to check-in. Remember, we are guests of the courthouse, there is no talking allowed in the halls as some trials may still be in session.

TRIALS

Monday, November 2— Senior High Round 1
Monday, November 7—Junior High Round 1
Wednesday, November 9—Senior High Round 2
Monday, November 14—Junior High Round 2
Wednesday, November 16—Senior High Round 3
Monday, November 21—Senior and Junior High (Quarterfinals)
Wednesday, November 28—Senior and Junior High (Semifinals)
Wednesday, November 30—Senior and Junior High (Finals and Awards Ceremony)

SCORES:

No winners will be announced at the trials. Your total and individual scores will be available via our website by 3:00 p.m. the day after each round. No calls will be accepted unless you are unable to access the information by 3:00 p.m. The day after Round 2, for both junior and senior divisions, the schools advancing in the competition will be notified via our website by 3:00 p.m.
Each night of the competition, you are required to assign a Courtroom Observer. Remember that the Courtroom Observer’s duties are limited to courtroom set-up and maintenance and do NOT include Rules violations.
“Scouting” is not appropriate and out of fairness to the competitors, observers are asked to remain in one courtroom during the entire trial to avoid disruptions. Taking notes in other courtrooms to “borrow” argumentation or strategies from other teams is unethical and not permitted.
Remember that the pretrial motion will be held in every round (Senior Division only). The pretrial attorney cannot serve as a trial attorney during the same trial, but may serve as a witness.
Please read and discuss the following rules and suggestions with your team.

RULES FOR STUDENT BEHAVIOR:

Adherence to the rules of student behavior will ensure that the competition run as smoothly as possible and that everyone has a good time. Any infraction of the following rules may result in notification of parents and school, as well as immediate dismissal from the program.

Possession and/or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs by students is forbidden.
Defacement of any facility is forbidden.
Students are expected to cooperate with staff and teachers at all times.
Appropriate attire is expected for all planned activities.
Each county must submit to CRF a signed CRF parent/guardian permission form for each student.

TEAM STRUCTURE GUIDELINES

Each Mock Trial team should have:

8-25 students per team
Only students from the same school
2 pretrial motion attorneys [senior division only]: one for the motion (defense), one against the motion (prosecution). NOTE: a pretrial attorney CANNOT participate as a trial attorney during the same trial, but CAN participate as a witness
3 trial attorneys for the prosecution (MAXIMUM)
3 trial attorneys for the defense (MAXIMUM)
4 witnesses for the prosecution (all 4 MUST be called in one trial)
4 witnesses for the defense (all 4 MUST be called in one trial)
1 clerk – participates with the prosecution team
1 bailiff – participates with the defense team
3 max courtroom artist – This is an optional contest, not included in the 20-student maximum.
3 max journalist – This is an optional contest, not included in the 25-student maximum.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

We strongly recommend that your team reviews the additional reading materials, lessons, and resources included in the case packet.
We also recommend that you include the maximum number of student attorneys per team, that different attorneys do opening and closing statements, and that each trial attorney does at least one direct examination and one cross-examination.
Please try to involve as many students as possible in other support roles, such as researchers, understudies, and photographers/videographers.

Clerk & Bailiff Notes

I. General Rules

When you enter the courtroom, introduce yourself (name and bailiff/clerk role) to the presider and scoring attorneys
Speak loudly and clearly
Maintain courtroom appearance - do not move anything unnecessarily; if you must move something, PUT IT BACK exactly the way it was when you arrived
Please act professionally & responsibly - you are officers of the court
Duties are identified in case packet

II. Clerks

Primary responsibility: Official Time Keeper for the trial
Have your own timing device
DO NOT round off the time, measure to the whole second
Time is STOPPED:
For all judge-initiated interruptions
When witnesses are called, escorted to the stand and sworn in
When an objection is raised, and the time taken to argue it
When the judge questions witnesses
Verbal Warnings
Clerks are responsible for giving two minute-, one-minute and 30 second verbal warnings at the end of each timed category
These warnings should be announced VERBALLY AND with HAND SIGNALS - call out “TWO,” “ONE,” “THIRTY” and “TIME”
There will be NO allowance for overtime

III. Pretrial Time Sheets (Download the Official Time Sheet)

Total time is 6 minutes
Pretrial motion – 4 minutes for statement, 2 minutes for rebuttal (NOT including time judge asks questions and attorney answers them)
The 30 Second Rule for Pretrial – at the end of the pretrial arguments, but before the presider gives a ruling, each team has 30 seconds to consult with their coach regarding any irregularities, and another 30 seconds for an attorney to announce such irregularities to the judge

IV.Time Sheets

Total time is 34 minutes
Opening, Closing - nine minutes and rebuttal - one minute TOTAL
Direct & Re-Direct for ALL 4 witnesses – 14 minutes TOTAL; if a team fails to present a witness, that team automatically receives zero (0) points for the witness and direct exam, and the opponent receives 5 points for cross-examination
Cross-Examination for ALL 4 witnesses - 10 minutes TOTAL
After closing arguments, each team may use one minute for rebuttal. Rebuttal time does not have to be formally reserved
The 30 Second Rule - at the end of the trial, but before the verdict is rendered, each team has 30 seconds to consult with their coach regarding any irregularities, and another 30 seconds for an attorney to announce such irregularities to the judge

V. Unofficial Timers

Unofficial timers can be any defense team member.
Unofficial timers are allowed to do TWO time checks: ONCE during the Prosecution’s case-in-chief and ONCE during the Defense’s case presentation. If there is a discrepancy at the time check, you should announce it then, it is then up to the judge to decide if the discrepancy is significant and a team should be allotted more time
Unoffical timer should sit besides the clerk when possible.
NOTE: other than time checks, only interrupt trial if it’s a BIG DEAL

VI. Bailiffs

Primary responsibility: Calling court to order & swearing in witnesses
When calling court to order or swearing in witnesses, use the language in the case materials
Additionally, Bailiffs are responsible for bringing a copy of the “Rules of the Competition” should the judge need to clarify an issue or question

Courtroom Art Contest

Official Rules

All contestants must pay a $25.00 entry fee & complete the entry form.
Sit in the jury box in a row below the scorers. If a scorer or the presider asks you not to sit in the jury box, you may sit in the front row of spectator seating, away from witnesses.
Introduce yourself to the scorers (they will be sitting in the jury box) and the presider (she/he will be sitting on the bench).
Once you are seated, you MAY NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH ANYONE FROM YOUR.
SCHOOL (parents, teachers, or fellow students). You must create your drawing completely independently.
IT’S MANDATORY THAT ALL ENTRIES MUST BE DONE IN COLOR. If you will be using charcoal or pastel pencils, please use some type of spray sealer to reduce smudging.
You are encouraged to use R1 as a practice round. Official judging will begin with R2 submissions.
Your sketch must depict an actual courtroom scene that you observe during Round 2. You may not submit your R1 “practice” sketch for judging .
At the conclusion of R2 you must submit your work to the presider after the debriefing remarks (5-10 minutes after the verdict). The judge will deliver the drawing to Mock Trial staff, so be aware of the possibility of smudging, should you choose to use charcoal or pastel.
The drawing must be on paper of the dimensions 11" X 14", with a horizontal format. Any dry medium may be used.
Be sure to stick your name label onto the back of the drawing you submit.
Only drawings submitted to presiders will be entered in the contest. DO NOT BRING YOUR DRAWING TO MOCK TRIAL STAFF, YOURSELF.

Journalism Contest

Official Rules

All contestants must be affiliated with a participating LA County Mock Trial team and enrolled at the team’s school.
All participants must pay a $25.00 entry fee & complete the entry form.
All participants must sign a code of ethics promising to work independently on the contest entry.
All participants must sign a release form authorizing the publication or reprinting of their Journalism Contest submissions for educational purposes. No financial compensation will be awarded.
Contestants may only watch and report on their team’s trials.
All contestants are invited to watch their team’s first trial during Round 1.
All contestants must write their articles based on their team’s Round 2 trial.
When attending Rounds 1 and/or 2 of the LA County Mock Trial Competition, all contestants must wear a “press badge,” as provided by CRF at check-in.
During the trials, all contestants must sit in the jury box in a row below the scorers. If a scorer or the presider asks you not to sit in the jury box, you may sit in the front row of spectator seating, away from witnesses.
Please introduce yourself to the scorers (they will be sitting in the jury box) and the presider (she/he will be sitting on the bench).
Once you are seated, you MAY NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH ANYONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL (parents, teachers, or fellow students). You must draft your article completely independently.
All contestants will have 24 hours to complete their articles and deliver them to CRF, beginning at 5:00 p.m. on the day of Round 2. All entries must be completed and received by CRF via facsimile, email or hand-delivery by 5:00 p.m. the following day (senior division – Nov. 10, junior division – Nov. 15).
Typed submissions must be a 12 point Times New Roman font, with one-inch margins, double-spaced, and a page limit of two pages.
Any articles over two pages will not be read. If submission is handwritten, article must not exceed 500 words.
Submitted articles should be in the voice of a reporter covering a criminal trial.
Use of dictionaries and thesauruses will be permitted.
Contestants may refer to the California Mock Trial case materials, the Journalism Contest rules and Judging criteria during the contest.
Awards for the Journalism Contest are independent of the LA County Mock Trial Competition; an individual may win a Journalism award regardless of the Mock Trial team’s final ranking.

Attorney Coach of the Year Award

In 1998 CRF created the Mock Trial Coach of the Year Award to honor the tremendous effort and support coaches share with their teams. Your Los Angeles County Mock Trial attorney coach volunteer will be eligible if she/he:

Is an attorney volunteer who is not employed by the school
Has a minimum of 3 years of Mock Trial involvement
Demonstrates the ability to motivate a team without losing sight of the educational goals of the Mock Trial Program
Helps each student reach her/his own potential
Emphasizes the importance of legal ethics and good sportsmanship
Attorney Coach Nomination Form should be signed by Mock Trial teacher sponsors. All nomination forms should include at least 2 letters of recommendation from students, faculty, parents, judges, or anyone else involved in the Mock Trial Program.
The award will be given at the Justice James A. Cobey Honors Luncheon in the fall..

The Helen Bernstein Tribute Award

The Helen Bernstein Tribute Award was established in 1997 as an annual award to honor outstanding Los Angeles County Mock Trial Teacher Sponsors. All Los Angeles County teachers who meet the following criteria are eligible:

A minimum of 5 years of Mock Trial involvement
Demonstration of a capacity to inspire learning and to motivate
A history of emphasizing good sportsmanship and citizenship skills

Helen Bernstein Tribute Award Nomination Forms should be signed by school principals. All nomination forms should include at least 3 letters of recommendation from parents, students, faculty, attorneys, judges, or anyone else involved in the Mock Trial Program.

Volunteers

The Mock Trial Program needs attorneys and judges to act as scorers and presiders for the Los Angeles Mock Trial Competition starting November 2, 2011 at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.

Please click here for more information on volunteering.

Please complete the Attorney/Judge Volunteer Form: Online Volunteer Form