FAQs

Once you apply and pay the entry fee, you will be able to access your resources through your Young Citizens account.

If you have not already registered for an account, please go to www.youngcitizens.org/create-account to do so. You must have a Young Citizens account before you can apply to enter the competition.

When applications are open, you can then visit the Mock Trials homepage to apply.

If you encounter any issues, please email us for assistance.

• Download the free Mock Trials Classroom Pack and use it with your students so they are aware of what is involved.
• Run a school assembly – you could use the themes of the case as a hook.
• Download the promotional materials provided to put up around school.
• Diversify where you are looking for students e.g. drama students may enjoy playing the role of witnesses which can be a great role for budding actors.
• Use enrichment days/life education days to explore the rule of law and what happens in a courtroom in order to generate interest.

We are more than happy to have a conversation about how to promote legal education in your school – contact us to discuss approaches further.

If your student is 14 years old, they can compete, as this does not pose an advantage in terms of academic years. If a student is 19 years old we think this poses an unfair advantage. We will, however, consider this on a case-by-case basis, so if you are worried about the age of students on your team, contact us and we can discuss your situation.

Schools can have a minimum of 8 students to take part in the competition. For this to work, team members will need to double up on roles. This will require additional preparation on behalf of your team members. As you will never be prosecuting and defending at the same time, students who are in the prosecution team can also have roles in the defence team. If you want to discuss the best way to configure your team, email us.

You can have up to two additional students on your team to act as reserves but we ask you to limit your team to a maximum of 17 students (18 in Scotland).

We cannot guarantee all schools will be assigned a mentor. We have a limited pool of volunteers who can help and we try to prioritise schools new to the competition. Some of our schools use school community or alumni networks to contact barristers or lawyers in the area and ask for help from them. If you have not been allocated a mentor but feel that you need additional support let us know and we will try to help.

Please persist in trying to make contact and if you still do not receive a response, contact us and we will reach out to them on your behalf.

The draw will inform you whether your team will be acting as prosecution or defence for each of the cases. It will be sent through to your lead teacher contact email by the Wednesday before your heat. Please note that at this point the draw is indicative only; changes can occur right up to the day of the heat.

Jurors play a vital role in a criminal trial. It is a juror’s duty to weigh up the evidence presented and to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not. The judge gives the direction to the jury on the relevant law, which the jury has to apply to the facts of the case in order to reach a verdict. Jurors in the competition will take part in a trial between two different schools in another courtroom to their teamates. They will find out what court they are in when the draw and jury rota has been released. They must listen to the evidence presented and decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty. After deliberation, a ‘foreperson’ will be elected to convey the verdict to the rest of the court. For more information on the role, please refer to the Juror’s Guide.

Students can either wear school uniform or court attire – this means formal wear. It is not necessary for witnesses to dress according to their character though some teams may choose to do so. What students wear will have no bearing on scoring.