Volunteer Sign-Up Instructions | Team Registration Instructions

The Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition was founded by The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) in 1979 and is BAMSL's longest-running program. The competition is financially supported by the Saint Louis Bar Foundation and the Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation with program support from the Lawyers Association of Kansas City Young Lawyers Section and the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.

As BAMSL's only statewide Law-Related Education program, the Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition annually serves more than 600 students from more than 50 schools throughout Missouri and is supported by up to 400 attorneys who volunteer as coaches, judges, and evaluators. The school that wins the Missouri State Championship has the opportunity to represent the State of Missouri at the National High School Mock Trial Championship.

What is mock trial?

The mock trials are structured like real courtroom trials and follow similar rules and procedures. High school students learn first-hand how the legal system works and what role judges, lawyers, juries, and witnesses play in the court system. This increased understanding helps students develop a deeper appreciation for our justice system and the administration of justice. The competition also helps students develop and improve their public speaking and critical thinking skills.

How do I start a team?

The High School Mock Trial Program is a wonderful opportunity for students of all backgrounds, but it needs dedicated teacher coaches willing to start teams at their schools. Each mock trial team is comprised of 6-10 students who compete as lawyers, witnesses, and timekeepers. Schools can have more than one team compete in the competition, allowing for more students to take part in the competition. During a trial, each team will have 3-4 student lawyers, 3 student witnesses, and 1 student timekeeper. Each team will compete at least twice, once as the plaintiff/prosecution, and once as the defense. Schools advancing past the preliminary rounds will try both sides of the same case again.

Teams also need a teacher coach to coordinate team logistics and practice times and spaces, and, ideally, an attorney coach to help the team with trial preparation and presentation. Teams set their own practice frequency and duration. BAMSL is available to assist teams with locating an attorney coach.

Team registration generally opens in early October and closes in early December. The case packet is typically available in late October or early November.

2027 National High School Mock Trial Championship

BAMSL and the Saint Louis Bar Foundation are proud to host the 2027 National High School Mock Trial Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 13-15, 2027. Learn more at https://www.bamsl.org/2027mocktrial.