How to score a mock trial practice round
For mock trial coaches and volunteer scorers.
How can two facilitators give a student consistent feedback on the same round?
Have them score the same observable acts independently, save a time or passage for each mark, and compare their evidence before offering advice. Use the host’s own ballot for a competition.
Set the scale before the round
Give both scorers the same excerpt, witness materials and three practice criteria. For each criterion, use 0 for an observed miss, 1 for a partial demonstration and 2 for a clear demonstration. Mark “unobserved” if the segment offered no opportunity. Leave it out of the denominator so a short segment does not penalize a student twice.
Try a two-minute sample first. If one scorer awards a 2 because counsel sounded confident and the other gives a 0 because the fact came from outside the packet, settle which behavior the criterion measures. Keep the same anchors for both teams.
What earns a point?
For use of the record, a 1 identifies relevant material and a 2 accurately connects a specific passage or exhibit to the point being argued. For examination, a 1 elicits an observation and a 2 also brings out how the witness could observe it. For responsiveness, a 1 notices an unexpected answer and a 2 follows up on its substance.
Record one short note per mark. “At 03:10 counsel followed up on the blocked view” gives a student something to reproduce. A general comment about confidence offers no way to test improvement.
Give one achievable assignment
Let the student identify the passage they would change first. Compare that choice with the scorers’ notes, pick one question to revise and run the exchange again. Keep the practice rubric separate from the official event rules and scoring system.
Worked example
Illustrative example. A witness says she heard a cart hit the door. Counsel asks where she stood and what she could see. She answers that a shelf hid the door. Give 2 for examination using the practice anchors. If closing then says she saw the collision, score that use of the record separately and ask the student to revise that sentence.
Primary sources
Related work at Agentic Attorney
This practice exercise is part of the Agentic Attorney resource collection. The main site describes its AI consulting and implementation work for legal teams. Explore Agentic Attorney’s approach to AI implementation.