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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
A well-chosen question can change how a jury sees the evidence. Prepare a case with your team, then respond as the other side puts your argument to the test.
In this course you will 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 with your team from a mock-trial packet, you’ll develop opening and closing statements, prepare direct and cross-examination questions, and learn when evidence may be introduced or challenged. Try an objection, respond to an opponent, and revise your strategy as the case takes shape.
The final mock trial puts that preparation into motion. Present arguments, question witnesses, manage exhibits, and respond in real time within courtroom procedure. Feedback and reflection help you see how your argument worked and where it needed a different approach. The work connects critical thinking with the teamwork and speaking that advocacy requires.
This two-week course for high school students takes place at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The course is available to residential and commuter students. The program is developed by Georgetown University and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What You Will 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 roles, sequence, and strategic choices within a trial
• Build questions and arguments from a hypothetical case record
• Adapt an evidence-based argument in response to testimony and objections
You’ll leave with your prepared courtroom materials and a certificate of completion.
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?
For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
If you enjoy debate, acting, or figuring out how to make an argument hold up, mock trial puts those interests into a shared case. You’ll see both the preparation behind a strategy and the challenge of using it live. Reading a case packet, taking an assigned role, questioning witnesses, and speaking before classmates are central to the experience.
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.
Your Summer at 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