General Information about UIMT:
The mock trial program at the University of Iowa begins in the fall and ends in the middle of the spring semester.
As a member of the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA), each year we are given a different case problem. The cases alternate between civil and criminal law each year.
Students learn about trial advocacy and public speaking in the early fall. Then teams are formed and students are assigned to attorney and/or witness roles to play based on the given case.
We traditionally practice two or three days a week, although practice schedules vary per team.
Throughout the fall and early winter, UIMT attends invitational mock trial tournaments based on the AMTA case problem that are held around the country.
A Tournament usually consists of four rounds, in which you present two plaintiff/prosecution and defense cases.
The University of Iowa Mock Trial club typically attends 8-10 tournaments a year. Not every member of the organization is able or required to attend every tournament.
Team Composition
Typically, we start each year with five teams. Each team consists of at least six members with maximum of eight members,
although a team is allowed alternates who will practice and learn with the rest of the team but are not on the competiting roster. Teams are created at the beginning of the school year after a tryout process.
They are created initially to maximize the learning process of younger and less experienced members. Teams rotate members throughout the season in order to find the best team chemistry and to maximize competitive results.
Regional competition is limited to four teams. Therefore, not every member of UIMT can compete on a regional team roster.
All majors and experience levels are welcome as the program needs a wide variety of talent and opinions to succeed.
Information Request:
Please fill in your information below to request information about our program, or
send an e-mail to
us at studorg-mocktrial@uiowa.edu.
