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Selwyn House students on trial
As their final class activity, the Selwyn House Grade 11 Criminal Law Class participates in a mock trial.
The first component of the class is theory. In the second half, the students form legal teams to role-play a mock trial that takes on a sense of reality. It is not a real case, but it could be, as all locations and information pertaining to the crime are relevant to the Westmount area. The trial is held on the second floor of the Westmount police station, which at one time was the main court of Westmount, so there are witness boxes, holding cells, benches and other features of an actual courtroom.
“The mock trial exercise is a perfect example of experiential learning,” says SHS Senior Law Teacher Bruce Maxwell. “It is clear that the boys will learn a lot through this process, as they take on roles of witnesses and lawyers in the case, and work together in preparation and performance.”
The trial takes a full morning to complete.
The Grade 11 Criminal Law class was such a big hit that a Civil Law component was added as a second-term option, where students also role-play a mock mediation or trial in the spring.
