Summer Academic and Honors InstituteCoursesMock Trial: An Examination of the American Legal System
Mock Trial: An Examination of the American Legal System
Students in the mock trial course hone their oral and written product communication talents and develop their critical and analytical skills as they are guided step by step through the process of preparing for the course presentation in a mock trial.
Facilities
Academic classrooms will be used during Sunday through Thursday both for lecture and discussion of case related materials. In addition to the classrooms, the law library will be used for case preparation. On Friday morning, the trial will occur in the trial courtroom of the law school (Law 146). This modern courtroom is set up to resemble an actual courtroom and contains both the witness and jury box, as well as counsel tables, a gallery and the bench.
Faculty
Dr. Jo Ann M. Scott is the instructor for the mock trial summer honors camp. This is her fourth year offering this camp at Ohio Northern University. Dr. Scott received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside and has been a full-time member of the faculty and Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Ohio Northern University for twenty years. Her teaching and research interests include constitutional law, criminal procedure, mock trial, the death penalty, women in the criminal justice system, serial killers and high profile criminal cases.
What to bring?
There are always questions about what to bring to an overnight or week long activity. I have some suggestions of items that may be necessary to take along to Ohio Northern University. Since there will be a Mock Trial held in the Law School, I suggest that you bring some business casual clothing in addition to comfortable clothing for classroom work during the week. You will want to bring a small amount of spending money since the university bookstore is usually open. Also, you can bring along some of your favorite snacks although there are vending machines located on campus, a local grocery store and a Rite Aid for unplanned essentials. Bring a cell phone or calling card to make long-distance calls, sometimes Ada has poor reception for cell phones for such carriers as AT&T and Nextel. If you have a camera you may want to bring it. There are always picture perfect events all week long. The dorms are lockable and secure so you should be able to bring normal things such as clock radios, small CD players or alarm clocks.
List of essentials aside from normal apparel:
- Alarm clocks
- Insect repellent – DEET-based work best, Off Brand, pump instead of aerosol
- Ball Cap
- Extra socks
- A pair of long pants
- Sweatshirt
- T-shirts
- Poncho (raincoat)
- Comfortable shoes / dress shoes for Mock Trial
- Swimwear
- Camera
- Beach towel
- Sunscreen
- Sandals
- Flashlight (plus extra batteries)
- If you anticipate washing clothes at the dorm take along a small container of wash detergent.
- Single extra long bedsheets, pillow and blanket
What you do NOT have to bring?
Towels are provided. All meals are provided in the cafeteria, even some snacks in the evening along with bottled water and drinks. Do not bring candles or incense, console TV, dart board, draperies, drugs, drum set, electric guitars, electric blankets, fireworks, fish net wall hangings, flags, firearms, halogen lamps, hot plates, microwave ovens, all pets such as snakes, spiders, lizards, cats, dogs, birds and fish, sunlamps, heat lamps and space heaters, toaster ovens, valuables, water beds, weights, bean bag/chair, carpet remnant, iron, refrigerator, portable TV or VCR.
