OVER a hundred students will be seeing if they can kick their opponent’s argument to the kerb when they visit Coventry Magistrates Court this month.
Students from across Coventry and Warwickshire will be participating in the 2017 Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition on March 18.
Groups of 12-14 year-olds will take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates, court staff and a defendant in the 23rd annual competition, which is run by the Citizenship Foundation in partnership with the Magistrates’ Association.
Coventry schools Barr’s Hill, Foxford, President Kennedy and Whitley Abbey will be joined by students from Rugby, Stratford and Northampton to enact a specially written case in which the defendant stands accused of theft.
“We want to make pupils aware of the different roles in a magistrates court through role play,” said organiser Rob Dowey.
“The mock trail allows them to take on these roles in a court environment and also helps them learn about a career in law.”
The competition enables students to learn about all aspects of the criminal justice system – the law, procedures, consequences and the staff – and to develop confidence in personal skills such as public speaking, analysis techniques and working as a team.
