At the University of Maryland, mock trial is not only a competitive team but also a co-curricular program with courses offered by the Department of Government & Politics. Undergraduate students from any major and in any year of their studies, including incoming freshmen, are eligible to try out for the Maryland Mock Trial Program.

Coached by law professors and practicing attorneys, many of whom are former Maryland mockers, students who join the Maryland Mock Trial Program develop skills that are useful in any profession, not just future legal careers. Students will learn to communicate with confidence, think on their feet, argue persuasively, and become compelling storytellers.

Our goal is to compete at the highest level and win our sixth national championship, so being a member of the program requires a substantial time commitment. Participation includes program-wide practices twice weekly as well as individual team meetings to prepare for those practice trials. Teams preparing for tournaments typically have practice trials on Wednesday evenings and Sundays during the day while development teams may only have practice trials once a week. Though the time commitment may be daunting, many students find mock trial to be the most rewarding academic experience they have at Maryland.

How Does Maryland Mock Trial Work?

Each year, Maryland Mock Trial holds tryouts at the beginning of the Fall semester. Our program is comprised of five or six teams, which allows us to accept students of varying experience levels. Each team consists of seven to ten students who play the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a fictional court case created by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA). 

In the fall, teams participate in invitational tournaments hosted by colleges and universities across the nation. In the spring, teams compete in AMTA’s Regional and Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) tournaments to qualify for the National Championship Tournament. Maryland Mock Trial has won five national championships. No other school has won more national championships than we have. 

Don’t know anything about mock trial? Don’t worry. We’ll provide you with all the resources you need. Every year, we have students join the program with little to no mock trial experience who go on to become award-winning attorneys and witnesses.

Join us as we work towards our sixth national championship during the 2025-2026 season! Click here for more information about joining the tradition of Maryland Mock Trial. Stay up to date with Maryland Mock Trial by following us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.