LEGAL PRACTICES

In the Legal Practices Pathway, students have the opportunity to take the Introduction to Applied Legal studies class, which is offered as a one semester and full year course. In this class, students will learn legal practices and methods, and work towards the annual district mock trial competition. At competition, all student compete in the Simi Valley courtrooms, and give their testimonies or examinations in front of a judge; who delivers the final verdict, and a scoring jury; who scores each student individually during the trial based upon their performance. Students will audition for legal roles such as bailiffs, courtroom clerks, various witnesses, and attorneys. There are several types of witnesses that each respectively allow a student to act and give information accordingly, each impacting the case in their own way. The attorneys are divided into two sides; prosecution and defense, who work to protect the defendant in the trial, or prosecute him. The attorneys will learn how to do things such as direct examinations, cross examinations, and sometimes opening or closing statements. The great thing about this class is that it is sure to cover every corner that will be important in the trial, from the examinations that the attorneys may give, to thorough and complex lessons on objections. In short, this class is an amazing experience for all students who take it, because it provides fun while working as a team, a competitive element, and it truly prepares all the students for future experiences they may have in this field.