Established 1996. Winning today.
Witness portrayal. Critical analysis of the Federal Rules of Evidence and case law. Extemporaneous public speaking. Development of case theory. Evidentiary presentation. Teamwork. This. Is. Mock.
Dartmouth’s mock trial team pictured in 2013.
The Dartmouth Mock Trial Society was founded in 1996 and remains an organization of two student-led, highly competitive teams. Since winning the "Best New School Award" at the 1997 American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Competition, our program has attended Nationals three times (‘06, ‘07, ‘08) and earned two All-American Attorney awards (‘06, ‘08) and two All-American Witness awards (‘07, ‘08).
In the past two years, our two teams have climbed an average 73 teams in the rankings. Both teams qualified for the Open Regional Championships (ORCS) in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons. We were the first and second runners up at ORCS in the 2021-2022 season, and finished just 1/2 a ballot away from qualifying for Nationals in 2023.
A look into the history and grounding of our society.
Guided by these principles, mock trial is not just a competition, but an experience of growth.
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Law
Mock trial is a team competition that requires mastery of the Federal Rules of Evidence and analysis of case law. Applying these technical skills towards a fictitious case, we craft case theories, direct and cross examinations, and arguments—simulating, or mocking, a trial.
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People
The team is the core element that makes mock trial—specifically, Dartmouth Mock—so fun. Through hours-long practices, travelling to competitions, running examinations and arguments, and more, we become a family. That mentality exudes itself inside and outside of the courtroom.
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Justice
We joke sometimes that mock trial is LARP-ing (live-action role playing). It is at its most basic. But ultimately, competing in mock trial is the expression of our dedication to better understanding the legal system and concepts like due process and evidentiary standards.
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Build relationships.
Benching with other MockStars and pairing with witnesses means diving deep into the case with people who share the same passion and drive.
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Self-Coach.
The Dartmouth Mock Trial Society has no coaches. We are student-led in every way. Leadership is both developed and necessary.
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Explore together.
Being successful in mock trial ensures that you will go places—literally. We have traveled to Chicago, Providence, Cincinnati, and more for competition.
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Scrimmage Peers.
When not in competition, one of the best ways to practice is friendly scrimmages with peer programs. (Pictured: Dartmouth and Hamilton Mock Trial)
The witnesses balance drama, the attorneys balance argument, and the team breeds excellence.
Our witnesses pop—and win awards.
We receive expert instruction on stage presence from Theater Professor Jamie Horton.
Our attorneys are taught by the best—and also win awards.
We regularly practice with Bruce Fredrickson, winner of the largest employment discrimination award in the history of the Civil Rights Act.
“I hope people are noting Dartmouth. Clearly, they’re looking like they’re gonna be a strong contender. And you gotta think, I mean, Dartmouth is a good school. I expect they’ll probably be very competitive in years to come… it seems like they’re on the rise and to have two teams do that well makes me definitely have my eye on them moving forward.”
Drew Evans, The Mock Review with Ben and Drew podcast, April 21, 2022