Juvenile Justice Mock Trial Program Turns 30

By Tara Shockley

Turning 30 may prompt jokes about being “over the hill,” but the Houston Bar Associa-tion’s Juvenile Justice Mock Trial Program is more vibrant than ever. The program has reached over 30,000 young teens since it was established in 1975.
The Mock Trial Program teaches eighth grade students about the justice system through the preparation and re-enactment of a trial in a real Harris County courtroom. Students from Houston area law schools and HBA staff members work with the students during a five-week classroom session. The students develop their own case story and assume the roles of judge, jurors, attorneys, witnesses, litigants and court personnel. The law students and HBA staff help develop questions, prepare witnesses and teach trial procedure.
The Juvenile Justice Mock Trial Program began as part of a special Law Day celebration developed by Concerned Teens, Inc., a group founded by former First Court of Appeals Chief Justice Frank Evans. The teens met twice a month on Saturday mornings in the courtroom of the late Judge Wallace H. Miller to learn about law and implement programs to curb juvenile delinquency.
The Hon. Eric Andell, a former juvenile and appellate court judge, was one of several volunteer attorneys who worked with Concerned Teens. “We were looking for ideas to stimulate them, and we wanted to see how they could conduct themselves in a judicial setting,” he said.
Rather than simply have attorneys demonstrate a trial, the teenagers began playing all the roles. “It seemed we were on to something,” said Judge Andell, who, along with attorney Ken Douglas, compiled the Mock Trial training manual that is still used by teachers and law students.
The Houston Bar Association hired Kay Sim, a former teacher, to implement the program in local schools as a community service project of the HBA. Sim, who has been the executive director of the HBA since 1981, said the program began with several goals in mind.
“We wanted to give young teens positive exposure to the law, deter them from juvenile crime and increase their self-esteem,” she said. “For everyone involved in the program, it has been gratifying to see these goals accomplished year after year.”
Lisa Dishong, a teacher at Alice Johnson Junior High in Channelview, says the program fits perfectly with her eighth grade American history curriculum. “The mock trial program really teaches them about the judicial system, and is a really good, hands-on field trip,” she said. “This is a Title I school, and the students don’t often get to interact with the legal community, except from the wrong end. It is great to have people from the community talk to the kids.
“The students handle everything on the trial. They love it, and it’s a wonderful process.”
Student participation in the program varies by school. Some schools have their advanced level classes participate, while others use the program to build self-esteem among students who may be at risk. At Holub Middle School, students who want to participate in the Mock Trial Program must fill out an application that includes an essay on why they should be allowed to participate. Holub students must also sign a statement that they will attend all rehearsals, be on time, maintain their grades and do their best in representing the school.
The law students who work with the program come from all three Houston-area law schools. They say the program helps them learn communication skills, as well as trial procedure. “It was an awesome learning experience for both the 8th graders and the participating law students,” said Eunyoung Yang, a student at South Texas College of Law.
At the end of the five-week classroom unit, the students and their teachers travel to the Harris County Courthouse Complex, where they act out the mock trial in real courtrooms, either in the Family Law Center or the Civil Courts Building. Parents often are invited to observe the mock trials. The real judges let the student jurists wear their robes, and many take a few moments to speak to the students or answer questions before the trial begins.
“A partnership with the Harris County judiciary has been critical to the success of this program,” said Sim. “Without the cooperation of our judges, we would not be able to provide such an effective, firsthand experience for the students.”
In fact, there are four current Harris County judges who worked with the Juvenile Justice Mock Trial Program as law students: Hon. Georgia Dempster of the 308th District Court, Hon. Bonnie Hellums of the 247th District Court, Hon. Susan Brown of the 185th District Court and Hon. Lisa Millard of the 310th District Court.
“The Mock Trial Program gets students involved in the legal process at an early age and helps them see how to use the trial model for settling disputes,” said Judge Hellums. “It is much safer than guns, knives or fists! Just watching the students see the power in settling matters using rules and civil behavior is a true gift.”
 Throughout the past 30 years, the program has worked with 40 classes each year within 10 school districts in the Houston area. The program also works with classes in private and parochial schools, and has even worked with a class of hearing-impaired students. For the first time this year, a class of eighth graders in a private Muslim school participated in the Mock Trial Program.
Sim said the program helps combat the unrealistic image that many young people have of law and the legal system from television and movies. “The Mock Trial Program gives them an idea of the hard work that goes into presenting both sides of a trial,” said Sim. “They see firsthand the seriousness of being in the system, and the impact that their decisions can have on their lives, as well as the lives of others.”

Tara Shockley is the communications director for the Houston Bar Association and serves as managing editor of The Houston Lawyer.

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