Resources for Teachers

Overview

The Mississippi Bar is proud to support educators in teaching students about the law, civic engagement, and personal responsibility. This section offers a variety of programs and materials designed to bring legal concepts to life in the classroom — from participating in the annual Mock Trial Competition and Law Day Art Contest to engaging with the Lawyer in Every Classroom program. Teachers will also find valuable resources that help students understand the consequences of DUI and misconduct, promoting informed and responsible decision-making. Together, these initiatives aim to inspire the next generation of informed citizens and future leaders.

High School Mock Trial Competition

Education of high school students is the primary goal of the mock trial program. Healthy competition helps to achieve this goal. However, teachers are reminded of their responsibility to keep the competitive spirit at a reasonable level. The reality of the adversary system is that one party wins and the other loses, and teachers should be sure to prepare their students to be ready to accept either outcome by placing the highest value on excellent preparation and presentation, rather than winning or losing the case.

Competition Resources

2026 Coaches Manual

2026 Regional Agenda

2026 Statewide Agenda

2026 Competition Day Checklist- Regionals

2026 Competition Day Checklist- Statewide

Goals of the MS High School Mock Trial Competition

Forms

2026 Team Registration Form

This is a fillable PDF. Please fill out the form and print the document. Mail the document with the registration fee to the address on the form.

Trial Squad Roster Form 2026

This is a fillable PDF. Type in your information and print the document. You will need two versions for each round – one for the prosecution side and one for the defense side. You will need four copies for each round – one for the other team and three for the judges.

    • Standards for Scoring
    • Code of Ethical Conduct
    • Team Dispute Form
    • Charge of Ethics/Rules Violation Form

If you have any questions, please email eventsandprograms@msbar.org or call 601-355-9226.

Mock Trial Competition Calendar

2025

Monday, October 6

Case Posted

Friday, November 14

Registration Form and Fee Due ($50)

Friday, December 5

Late Registration Form and Fee Due ($75)

2026

Friday, January 9

Deadline to Submit Case and Rules Questions (5 PM)

Saturday, January 24

Southern Regional (Harrison County Courthouse, Gulfport)

Saturday, January 31

Central Regional (MC School of Law, Jackson)

Saturday, February 7

Northern Regional (Lafayette County Courthouse, Oxford)

Friday & Saturday, February 27 – 28

Statewide Competition (Hinds County Courthouse, Jackson)

May 7 – 9

National Mock Trial Competition (Des Moines, Iowa)

These dates are correct as of June 9, 2025. Please check the Mock Trial website frequently for updates. The calendar posted on the Mock Trial website is the official competition calendar.

Mock Trial Competition Case & Rules

Questions and Answers

As competition updates and answers to questions are released, they will be posted on this page.
ALL questions regarding the CASE and the RULES should adhere to the following guidelines:

All case and rules questions must be submitted via email to the mock trial coordinator (eventsandprograms@msbar.org). Only teacher or attorney coaches may submit questions on behalf of a team. The mock trial coordinator will only process written case and rules questions submitted by email and will not accept questions submitted by any other method, including phone, fax or in person.

Teams may submit questions from October 6, 2027, until 5:00 p.m. on January 9, 2025. Questions may also be submitted from February 9 through February 20, 2026. This time period is post-Regional competition and pre-Statewide.

Teams will check the website for a running list of answers to all case and rules questions submitted throughout the season.

The final Q&A list will be posted on the website by February 23, 2025, at 5:00 pm.

The fact that the Mock Trial Committee made a correction or addition to the case materials at any point during the season is not relevant during a trial round. Teams are to assume that the fault for any typographical error or any other correction, addition or clarification to the case materials indicated in the Q&A list posted online lies with the mock trial committee, not with a particular witness. The clean, corrected copy of the materials that will be posted by January 9, 2026, is to be considered the first and only version of these materials submitted by any party in this action when trying this case in a competition round.

If you have a question about the case or the rules, please send your question to eventsandprograms@msbar.org. The committee will respond to your question as soon as possible.

Law Day Art Contest

2025 Theme:
The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One

The Constitution enshrines our collective responsibility to one another, and the 2025 Law Day theme urges us to take pride in a constitution that bridges our differences to bring us together as a united nation. Our civic lives tie us together as one “We,” whether through legislative efforts that serve the common good, through military service, or by working together, every day, to fulfill the promise of E pluribus unum, or “Out of many, one.”

Statewide Winner for Kindergarten
Tanner Butler, Hartfield Academy, Brandon

Statewide Winner for 1st Grade
Devente Roberson, Mother Goose Christian School, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 2nd Grade
Badi Keinhenz, Casey Elementary School, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 3rd Grade
Tate Lyons, DeSoto Central Elementary School, Southaven

Statewide Winner for 4th Grade
Mason Filzen, Mother Goose Christian School, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 5th Grade
Madeleine Hall, Ida B. Wells APAC, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 6th Grade
Kinley Mize, Northwest Rankin Middle School, Flowood

Statewide Winner for 7th Grade
Semaj Bryant, Ida B. Wells APAC, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 8th Grade
Jonathan Saldana-Soriano, Cardozo Middle School, Jackson

Statewide Winner for 9th Grade
Miles Dampeer, Brookhaven High School, Brookhaven

Statewide Winner for 10th Grade
Anna Spray, Brookhaven High School, Brookhaven

Statewide Winner for 11th Grade
Emma Bower, Brookhaven High School, Brookhaven

Statewide Winner for 12th Grade
Shelton Sory, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Madison

Lawyer in Every Classroom

This program, sponsored by The Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division, offers you a chance to have a legal resource person come to your classroom anytime during the school year. Any teacher (Kindergarten through 12th Grade) is invited to have a lawyer visit for one class period. Sign up, and an attorney will coordinate with your class schedule. If you have questions, please email cphillips@msbar.org.

Consequences of DUI

This publication was designed to help high school students understand the laws surrounding driving under the influence.

Consequences of Misconduct

This brochure was designed to help middle school students understand the legal ramifications of misconduct while on school property. It defines misconduct, as well as what is considered school property, and spells out the possible punishment for behavior that qualifies as misconduct.

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