Mock Trial Time Guidelines

Below is information copied from Section XX in your Mock Trial rules handout. Use them to help you plan for your questioning, or for your opening and closing statements.

PLEASE NOTE: Time guidelines for cross-examination have been increased to allow time for discrediting/impeaching a witness who may have created facts. This is in response to the elimination of “creation of material fact" and "outside the scope of the mock trial materials" objections that were permitted in previous years.

When practicing, be sure your case conforms to these time restrictions or penalties may ensue.

PLAINTIFF = P DEFENDANT = D

Pre-Trial Motions (when specifically allowed) (2 minutes) _____

P Opening Statement (3 minutes) _____

D Opening Statement (3 minutes) _____

P Case in Chief

P Direct Examination of both witnesses (including optional redirect) – 15 mins _____

D Cross Examination of both witnesses (including optional recross) - 11 mins _____

D Case in Chief

D Direct Examination of both witnesses (including optional redirect) - 15 mins _____

P Cross Examination of both witness (including optional recross) - 11 mins _____

P Closing Arguments (5 minutes) _____

D Closing Arguments (4 minutes) _____

Prosecution/Plaintiff gives opening statement first. Prosecution/Plaintiff gives closing argument first; the Prosecution/Plaintiff may reserve a portion of its closing for a rebuttal. The Prosecution/Plaintiff’s rebuttal is limited to the scope of the Defense’s closing argument. Attorneys are not required to use the entire time allotted to each part of the trial. Time remaining in one part of the trial may not be transferred to another part of the trial. Round off times to the nearest one half minute:

Examples: 3 minutes, 10 seconds = 3 minutes

4 minutes, 15 seconds = 4 1/2 minutes

2 minutes, 45 seconds = 3 minutes

TIMERS - TEAM ALTERNATES MAY SERVE AS TIMER FOR THE TRIAL.