Judicial Tracks
Available Week 2 Only
Mock Trial
In the Mock Trial track a team of students study elements of our legal system through instruction and coaching provided by gifted attorneys and law school professors. Students participate in mock criminal and civil trials before real-life judges, who critique team strategy and individual presentation skills following each trial, and a jury of peers who decides the verdict. Supreme Court justices provide small group interviews and courtroom tours, giving SSI students opportunities to interact with top judges in Michigan’s judiciary.
Mock Trial students learn all the elements of a Trial, including:
- Legal Strategy and Case Presentation
- Trial Procedure
- Pretrial Motion Hearings
- Rules of Evidence
- Opening Statements & Closing Arguments
- Direct & Cross Examination
- Witness Preparation
- Juries
- Courtroom Decorum
- Making motions
- and a understanding of all the legal terms
Moot Court
Advanced students who choose the Moot Court track have the opportunity to argue case law before a panel of three Appellate Judges. Legal Professors, attorneys, and judges provide SSI students with critiques and instructions on their presentations in court and throughout the week. The intensive training and instruction throughout the week challenges each student’s critical thinking and presentation skills; judges have remarked that students are better prepared and more convincing with their arguments than many practicing attorneys.
"It was a pleasure listening to and questioning the students participating in the SSI Moot Court Competetion. Each of the four participants were able to properly articulate their positions, even when being faced with many questions from the bench. They performed as if they had already comleted college, undergraduate school and law school." - Michigan Court of Appeals Judge - Christopher M. Murray
Moot Court students learn all the elements of arguing a case, including:
- Overview of appellate trial
- Legal analysis
- Fundamentals of persuasive argument
- Preparing a oral argument outline
- Oral advocacy presentation
- and lot and lots of practise
"They got rid of a lot of preconceptions I’d had about law and taught us so much in so little time." - Rachel V. - Alumna
Advanced Biblical Worldview Sessions
Each student in our advanced tracks sit in on advanced Biblical Worldview sessions, taught by qualified instructors, that expand upon the foundation curriculum they received in their first year(s) of attending SSI. In addition, judicial students receive instruction on legal ethics, providing them a well-rounded hands-on education on our legal system and its moral application.
Professional Coaches
A dedicated group of volunteer attorney coaches teach the students everything they need to know to try a case. We are grateful to the team of qualified attorneys, law professors and judges who give of their time to make this judicial program top notch.
