Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Build a case and argue it in mock court in this 2-week program for high school students on Georgetown University’s campus.
Course Description
On Georgetown University’s campus in Washington, D.C., students explore courtroom strategy in a city closely associated with law, policy, and public institutions. A trial is a coordinated process in which every role sees the case differently. Students examine the responsibilities of attorneys, defendants, witnesses, judges, and jurors, then study how legal teams prepare a hypothetical case. Jury selection and voir dire introduce the questions advocates use to understand a potential jury.
Working in teams from a mock-trial packet, students develop opening and closing statements, prepare direct and cross-examination questions, and learn when evidence may be introduced or challenged. Practice sessions require them to make objections, respond to an opponent, and revise strategy as the case takes shape.
The culminating mock trial puts preparation into motion. Students present arguments, question witnesses, manage exhibits, and respond in real time while maintaining courtroom procedure. Reflection and feedback connect courtroom performance with the critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and public speaking skills that effective advocacy requires.
This two-week course takes place at Georgetown University. The course is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic work with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study or pursue next. The program is developed by Georgetown University and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What Will You Do?
• Analyze the roles of attorneys, witnesses, judges, and jurors
• Practice jury selection and the voir dire process
• Develop persuasive opening and closing statements
• Write direct and cross-examination questions
• Introduce evidence and make appropriate objections
• Prepare and conduct a collaborative mock trial
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain the sequence, roles, and strategic choices within a trial
• Construct examinations and arguments from a hypothetical case record
• Present and adapt an evidence-based case during a mock trial
Students leave with prepared courtroom materials, mock-trial experience, and greater confidence in structured legal advocacy.
Why Mock Trial Skills Matter?
Mock trial teaches students to build an argument within rules. They must connect facts to a theory of the case, decide which questions will develop useful testimony, and anticipate how the other side may respond. Precision matters because a vague claim or poorly framed question can weaken the whole strategy.
Courtroom practice also builds composure and listening. Students adapt when a witness answers unexpectedly, make or answer objections, and communicate with a judge and jury. These skills transfer to presentations, debate, leadership, and any setting where evidence must be explained under pressure.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in law, debate, justice, acting, public speaking, or strategic problem-solving. It fits students who want to understand both the preparation behind a case and the challenge of presenting it live.
Participants should be ready to read a case packet, collaborate closely, take on an assigned role, question witnesses, and speak before classmates. Careful preparation and respectful competition are central to the course.
Recommended by More Than 4 out of 5 Students
Based on students surveyed in 2026 about Summer Discovery High School programs at Georgetown University campus.
Why Georgetown University?
Studying on Georgetown University’s campus gives high-school students the opportunity to explore an academic interest while experiencing campus life in Washington, D.C. Its historic campus and surrounding neighborhood sit near embassies, institutions, and organizations that shape national and international conversations, giving the summer a distinctive sense of place.
Students learn alongside peers with similar interests, navigate a new environment, and gain independence through everyday choices and responsibilities. Time outside class helps students experience the broader rhythm of university life while considering what subjects, communities, and possible directions feel right for them. For families, the program offers a combination of substantive academic exploration, personal growth, and clearer insight into what a student may want to study or pursue next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive