3 Magistrates’ Court Mock Trials in a Day

Introduction

More and more advocates are conducting their own trials in the Magistrates' Court. You don't need me to tell you that it's a very daunting experience to begin with. This all day course has been specifically designed around 3 mock trial scenarios and other general procedural scenarios which all involve advocacy. Do be prepared to come along and engage in some advocacy.

Speaking parts will be allocated to everyone. You will have a script but feel free to depart from it. It's the complete opposite of a 'sit and listen to what I tell you' course. There will be mistakes and there will be humour, far better to make them on the day than in court when everyone is watching.

What You Will Learn

This course will cover the following:

• The structure of a criminal trial from the very beginning to the very end
• When to stand/when to sit/how to address them/him/her
• How, structurally, to make your bail application and what to say in it
• How, structurally, to make your plea in mitigation and what to say in it
• How to do a closing speech - some of you will be doing one
• The advocacy of examination-in-chief
• The advocacy of cross-examination
• The advocacy of re-examination
• Making that all-important submission of no case to answer
• Applying for that all-important adjournment - the one the court would rather not grant!
• How to deal with Hearsay/Bad Character as they arise during the trial
• The advocacy of Representations on Venue/Allocation/Sending