Hello, I'm the court officer. More info >
How it works.
Minitrials are a simulated court case designed to be conducted by secondary schools
– within roughly two double periods – or as tailored to suit the class.
Welcome to MiniTrial I’m the court officer and I shall be guiding you through the courtroom procedure today. When we enter the court I shall explain the court scene to you and what everyone does. Students take part in a reconstruction of a criminal jury trial. They convene the court, hear the evidence and return their own verdict – with the help of lawyer volunteers. The MiniTrial materials have been prepared by Scottish lawyers – and are based on what actually happens in a Scottish Sheriff Court. The materials are designed to help students learn about the Scottish legal system, courts and the people who appear in them in an interesting and enjoyable way. MiniTrials are quite simple to run – and they do they not involve lengthy preparation. The trials can be exciting and are conducted seriously along the lines of real trials. The aim is to improve understanding and discussion about our legal system. The MiniTrial materials are available free – by email or from this, see downloads. When you’re ready just follow me into the court room of your choice by clicking the tabs above.
You can find out how a court scene looks by choosing any of the buttons below. The scenes indicate a typical courtroom layout for a CRIMINAL or CIVIL court.
