EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
MOCK TRIAL
PLSC 316—FALL, 2013
SYLLABUS
Instructor: Professors Mark Maironis and C. Robert Dobronski
Office: 601T, Pray-Harrold
Office Phone: (734) 487-1461
E-Mail: mmaironis@emich.edu
c.robert
Office hours: 2:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday & Wednesday
5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Thursday
& by appointment or before/after class.
Class time: 6:00 to 8:40 p.m., Thursday
Location: Room 419, Pray-Harrold
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Mock Trial is an introduction to the concepts and practices of trial advocacy. This
course will provide you with an basic understanding of civil law, court procedures and
the legal system. It will familiarize you with the preparation for adjudication, its
application and potential outcomes. It will increase your proficiency in basic life skills
such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning. Trial court simulations are an integral
part of the course and one entailing complete student participation.
REQUIRED READING
AMTA Case Material---See Course Homepage
SUGGESTED READING
Pleasing The Court, Fourth Edition, John R. Vile, Houghton Mifflin Company,
2009. (Suggested only)
EXAMS AND ASSIGNMENTS
There will be two exams, two homework assignments. Additionally, there will be two
trial competitions, one requiring the student to act as an attorney and the other as a
witness.in class which is mandatory for all students, and one outside tournament which is
optional. Participation in the mock trial simulation is mandatory. however Exams will
cover both reading and lecture materials and with an emphasis on the facts of the case
material as well as the Rules of Evidence. The exams will consist of multiple choice,
true or false, or fill-in-the blank questions. Exams must be taken at the regularly
scheduled time unless another time has been previously approved by the instructor or in
the case of a documented emergency. Each exam will constitute 15% (or 75 points) of
your grade; Class attendance and participation will constitute 10% of your grade; the in
class competition the 40% and the homework assignments the remaining 20%.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
There will be two homework assignments. The first consists of preparing 20 relevant
questions to ask either the prosecution’s witnesses or the defense’s witnesses, you decide
which side. The questions should be part of the direct examination of that witness and
should be the most relevant and meaningful which are helpful to that party’s case. The
second assignment will consist of preparing 30 relevant cross-examination questions to
ask each of the plaintiff’s or defense’s witnesses. However, the witnesses must be of the
opposite party form the first questions you submitted. For example if you did 20 direct
examination questions of the prosecution’s witnesses, the second assignment must consist
of 20 cross-examination questions of the defense witnesses.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS
9/5/13
9/12/13
9/19/13
9/26/13
Introduction
Preparing the Case
First Homework Assignment Due
Preparing the Case
Second Homework Assignment Due
Rules of Evidence Lecture
10/3/13
Rules of Evidence Lecture
10/3/13
First Exam (Facts)
Rules of Evidence Simulations
10/10/13
Mock Trial Practice
10/17/13
Mock Trial Practice
10/24/13
Mock Trial Practice
10/31/13
Rules of Evidence revisited
2
11/7/13
Second Exam (Rules)
Mock Trial Practice
11/14/13
Mock Trial Practice
11/21/13
Mock Trial Practice
11/28/13
No Class
12/5/13
Mock Trial Simulations for Grade
12/12/13
Mock Trial Simulations for Grade
12/19/13
Mock Trial Simulations for Grade
Grade Percentages
Class Participation & Attendance
First Exam (Factual)
Second Exam (Rules)
Homework Assignments
First Assignment
Second Assignment
Mock Trial Presentations & Role Play
Attorney
Witness
Total
10%
15%
15%
50
75
75
10%
10%
50
50
20%
20%
100
100
_________
100%
3
Points
__________
500