Mock Trial Program

The Kane County Bar Foundation’s Annual High School Mock Trial Program gives local high school students a hands-on look at how the justice system works and what it’s like to be a trial attorney. Students build skills in public speaking, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving while learning about the legal system.

How it Works

Held each year around Law Day (May 1), the program gives students the opportunity to:

  • Serve as attorneys and witnesses in a mock criminal or civil trial

  • Present their case against a team from another school

  • Try their case before a jury of students

  • Work with teachers and local attorneys to prepare

Get Involved

Invitations are sent to local schools in early February. Schools interested in participating can contact the Kane County Bar Foundation for more information.

Mock trials are also open to the public to attend and watch the students in action.

Group of eight people standing together in a courtroom, smiling at the camera, with a judge's bench, American flag, and state seal in the background.
A group of seven diverse young adults and a woman judge standing in a courtroom with wood-paneled walls, flags, and a seal of Illinois in the background.
A group of seven young people and one woman in a black robe standing in a formal room with an American flag, a state flag, wood paneling, and a large flat screen TV on the wall. They are smiling, and one woman is holding a plaque.
Group of six people in formal attire standing in a courtroom with wooden panels, American flag, Illinois state flag, and a seal on the wall behind them.