Mock Trial Volunteer Judge Training

Welcome to the 2025-2026 Oregon High School Mock Trial Season!

Please visit the Civics Learning Project’s Volunteer Hub to register as a volunteer, learn more about Mock Trial opportunities, and find the competition location and date that works best for you.

The resources on this page will support your preparation as a volunteer judge. Below, once published, you will find the case materials (and Q&A document) for this year’s competition, as well as rules, training videos, and a calendar of events.

Mock Trial Judge Preparation Checklist

Presiding Judge Checklist

Scoring Judge Checklist

If you need to score a trial:

  • Attend the 2025-2026 Judge Training Workshop (in January)
  • Attend the 2025-2026 PROcess Judge Training Workshop (In January)
  • Read and review the Full Case Materials and Q&A
  • Watch applicable training videos (see below)
  • Know the details of the Affidavits and evidence Exhibits
  • Review the Scoring Ballot
  • Review the Evaluation Guidelines
  • Review and understand the Scoring Rubric

Training Videos

General Guidelines A high level overview of the role of a Mock Trial judge, general volunteer expectations

 

The Presiding Judge Walk through the role and responsibilities of the Presiding Judge during a round of Oregon High School Mock Trial

The Scoring Criteria Overview of the scoring rubric for each role scored during a trial round, review scoring best practices

Giving Verbal Feedback Helpful dos and don’ts for sharing verbal feedback with teams at the end of an Oregon High School Mock Trial round

Case Materials and Rules

Mock Trial Q&A

The Q&A process allows teams to highlight contradictory or unclear information published in the Case Materials. Any information in the Q&A document that contradicts information from the case materials supersedes the original case materials. This year’s Q&A document will be published in January, 2026.

 

Full 2025-2026 Case Materials (COMING SOON)

The full Case Materials will include the case, witness statements, procedural rules, and the modified rules of evidence for this season. The last section of the case materials is designed specifically for judge preparation.

 

Case Materials

  • Full Case Materials Packet (COMING SOON)

Full Rules of Competition

Rules of Evidence

  • 2025-2026 OR Mock Trial Rules of Evidence (COMING SOON)

Presiding Judge Checklist

Exhibits (COMING SOON)