Enroll early for Summer 2027 to secure your preferred campus and program.
Analyze landmark cases, debate constitutional questions, and build persuasive legal arguments in this two-week academy for high school students at Dartmouth.
Instructor:
Course Description
A single court decision can change how a right is understood. But what happens when protecting one person's freedom appears to conflict with the public good? Start with a legal question that has more than one defensible answer.
In this course you will investigate the foundations of the American legal system through landmark court cases, constitutional analysis, and questions about civil liberties and criminal justice. Follow how courts interpret laws, weigh evidence, and use precedent to explain decisions. Rather than memorize rules, practice identifying the issue in a case, separating facts from claims, and testing competing interpretations.
Structured debates and mock-trial exercises put this reasoning into practice. Explore disputes that connect individual rights, public interests, and ethical responsibility, then consider how legal arguments influence public policy and civic life. Prepare written arguments, question evidence, and respond to counterarguments as you and your classmates take different sides of a case. For a final challenge, collaborate on a mock trial, presenting a well-supported position and reflecting on the responsibilities involved in legal decision-making.
This two-week full-day academy for high school students is part of Dartmouth Summer Scholars on Dartmouth College’s main campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. You’ll practice the careful reading, clear communication, and civic deliberation that help people navigate complicated questions of law and justice.
What You Will Do
• Examine landmark court cases and the reasoning behind decisions
• Interpret constitutional principles and civil liberties in hypothetical disputes
• Compare evidence, precedent, and competing legal arguments
• Debate criminal justice, public policy, and ethical dilemmas
• Write and revise a persuasive argument grounded in legal reasoning
• Participate in a mock trial and respond to opposing arguments
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain foundational principles of the American legal system and their relationship to individual rights and public interests
• Analyze cases using evidence, precedent, constitutional interpretation, and competing perspectives
• Construct and defend persuasive legal arguments through writing, oral advocacy, and respectful deliberation
You’ll leave with a case analysis, written legal argument, mock-trial presentation, and a certificate of completion.
Why Legal Reasoning Skills Matter
Legal questions rarely come with an obvious answer. Reading a court decision means identifying what happened, which principles apply, and why a particular interpretation was persuasive. Comparing evidence and precedent encourages students to distinguish a well-supported conclusion from an assumption, especially when individual rights and public interests compete.
Legal reasoning also develops skills for civic participation. Writing an argument, listening to opposing views, and participating in structured debate require clear communication and thoughtful judgment. Exploring the relationship between law, justice, and democratic institutions helps students approach disagreements with evidence, respect, and an understanding of the responsibilities that accompany rights.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
If you enjoy discussing difficult issues, following court cases, or asking how laws shape everyday life, this academy gives you a chance to investigate questions from multiple perspectives. You’ll explore constitutional rights, criminal justice, and public policy while learning to turn evidence into a persuasive legal argument.
No prior law coursework is necessary. Come ready to read closely, question assumptions, speak respectfully in debate, and collaborate in a mock trial.
Your Summer at Dartmouth
Dartmouth College’s main campus in Hanover, New Hampshire, brings students into a close-knit academic community surrounded by the Upper Valley. Green spaces, libraries, and historic buildings provide a setting for asking questions, exchanging ideas, and considering new perspectives.
Beyond class, students can get to know peers, participate in summer activities, and experience the rhythm of life on a college campus. The opportunity to explore a subject in a university setting helps students develop independence while considering what they may want to study more deeply.
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive