The Iowa Mock Trial program is an institution. It is one of the largest, most popular mock trial programs in the entire country. Thousands of Iowa middle school and high school students have been learning about the law, developing critical thinking and speaking skills and, most importantly, having fun for over 30 years.
But, if you are considering participating as a student or a teacher coach, it can feel intimidating at first. Where do I begin? What do all these legal terms mean? How do I make sure my team doesn’t get embarrassed?
Mock Trial is designed to be coached by a teacher AND an attorney. Unfortunately, it can be hard to recruit a local lawyer to volunteer to help your team. Even if you find an attorney who is willing to help, they may not be familiar with the unique rules and procedures of Iowa mock trial and they may not be available at the time and the place when your team needs them.
The powerhouse mock trial teams that tend to succeed year after year have one thing in common - they are well-coached. There is no denying that Iowa mock trial teams with access to an experienced attorney coach tend to have a leg up in competition.
How do we level the playing field so that your team of dedicated, bright students can successfully compete without access to a veteran mock trial attorney coach?
Joe Semelroth giving a closing argument during the 2024 National High School Mock Trial Tournament.
When it comes to mock trial, I am one of the lucky ones. I grew up in the Iowa mock trial program. My dad started competing in mock trial when he was in middle school and he started coaching mock trial teams before I was born. Both in middle school and in high school, I have had easy access to some of the most experienced, most successful coaches in Iowa mock trial history.
I spent months interviewing my coaches, recording them and prodding them to reveal the tips and tricks that consistently lead to Iowa mock trial success. I have distilled down all that practical advice and now I want to share it with you - in a free online course called Iowa Mock Trial 101.
Iowa Mock Trial 101 can be completed anywhere and at any time. It offers short video lessons on every important aspect of mock trial taught by real Iowa lawyers with track records of success as both mock trial competitors and coaches.
By the end of Iowa Mock Trial 101, you will know how to prepare every part of a mock trial, know how to perform complex legal procedures like introducing evidence and making objections, and most importantly, know what you must do to score that elusive “10” in competition.
While Iowa Mock Trial 101 will walk you through every necessary step after you get your mock trial case file, you don’t have to watch all 40+ lessons if you don’t want (or need) to. Iowa Mock Trial 101 is designed to be a 24-hour buffet that you can sample whenever you wish. Any lesson in Mock Trial 101 is accessible even if you haven’t completed the previous lesson. You can get a quick refresher on the character evidence rule just as easily as you can have an attorney coach teach you how to structure your opening statement.
Iowa Mock Trial 101 is useful to everyone, even teams who have an attorney coach. Unlike a normal lawyer coach with a busy schedule, Iowa Mock Trial 101 is available 24/7 because it is free and the only thing you need for access is an email address and an internet connection. Students can access Iowa Mock Trial 101 on their phones and have an “attorney coach in their pocket” whenever they need a rule or concept explained.
This course is for you if:
- You are a teacher who needs a reliable way to teach the basics of mock trial to your students
- You are a student who wants to learn about mock trial for the first time or who is interested in improving your understanding of Iowa mock trial rules and procedures so you can have success in competition
Meet Your Instructors:
The real life lawyers who teach Mock Trial 101
Tim Semelroth
Tim started participating in mock trial in 1985 as a middle school student. Tim continued to participate in mock trial in high school and in college at Drake University where his team won the national college mock trial championship. After graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law, Tim started coaching both middle school and high school mock trial teams. Since 1997, Tim’s teams have won 15 Iowa middle school state championships and 9 Iowa high school mock trial state championships. Tim is a trial lawyer at RSH Legal in Cedar Rapids.
Emily Anderson
As a competitor, Emily won Iowa state mock trial championships in both middle school and high school. Emily then attended Drake University for both college and law school where she placed third in the country in the National Moot Court Competition. After clerking for the Iowa Supreme Court, Emily joined RSH Legal in Cedar Rapids where she practices law and has coached multiple Iowa high school state champion mock trial teams.
Ben Long
As a competitor in high school, Ben led his team to the finals of the Iowa state mock trial tournament. At Loras College, Ben led his team to the finals of the national college mock trial championships. After graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law, Ben has practiced law in both Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Ben is currently a trial lawyer at RSH Legal in Cedar Rapids.
Laura Schultes
As a competitor, Laura won Iowa state mock trial championships in both middle school and high school. Her high school team went on to win the national high school mock trial championship. At the University of Iowa, Laura won two national college mock trial championships. After graduating from law school, Laura coached her former high school high school team to a state championship. Laura practices employment law in Cedar Rapids at RSH Legal.
Iowa Mock Trial 101 Curriculum
- Lesson 1 - What is Direct Examination? (1:30)
- Lesson 2 - How to Write a Direct Examination (3:01)
- Lesson 3 - How to Write a Direct Examination for an Expert Witness (3:09)
- Lesson 4 - How to Write a Re-Direct Examination (2:18)
- Lesson 5 - How to Refresh Recollection (3:46)
- Lesson 6 - Tips for Scoring a 10 as a Lawyer on Direct (5:16)
- Lesson 7 - Tips for Scoring a 10 as a Witness on Direct (4:17)
- Lesson 8 - State Championship Direct Examination (6:54)
- Lesson 9 - State Championship Direct Examination (Expert Witness) (8:54)
- Lesson 1 - What is Cross Examination? (3:10)
- Lesson 2 - How to Write a Cross Examination (2:40)
- Lesson 3 - Witness Control (3:51)
- Lesson 4 - Impeachment (8:17)
- Lesson 5 - Tips for Scoring a 10 as a Lawyer on Cross (6:17)
- Lesson 6 - Tips for Scoring a 10 as a Witness on Cross (3:55)
- Lesson 7 - State Championship Cross Examination (5:32)
- Lesson 1 - Relevance (3:23)
- Lesson 2 - Unfair Prejudice (3:10)
- Lesson 3 - Hearsay (2:44)
- Lesson 4 - Not Hearsay (4:53)
- Lesson 5 - Hearsay Exceptions Part 1 (5:19)
- Lesson 6 - Hearsay Exceptions Part 2 (4:20)
- Lesson 7 - Character Evidence (7:47)
- Lesson 8 - Habit Evidence (1:52)
- Lesson 9 - Other "Substance" Rules (8:53)
- Lesson 10 - "Form of the Question" Rules (5:48)
Don't take our word for it...
“Attorney coaches are an important ingredient to a successful mock trial team. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a trial lawyer with mock trial experience willing to work with your team, Iowa Mock Trial 101 is the next best thing.” - Jim Efting, Iowa’s All-Time Winningest Mock Trial Teacher Coach and charter member of the Iowa Mock Trial Coach Hall of Fame
“I wish Iowa Mock Trial 101 existed when I participated in middle school and high school mock trial! It shares a lot of the secrets that made my teams successful.”
- Ava Challenger, Iowa Middle School and High School Participant, 2-time Iowa All State Attorney Award Winner
“My background is in theater - not law. I had never heard of mock trial before my daughter signed up for it in middle school. Iowa Mock Trial 101 does a great job of explaining the program to parents and students.” - Kari Lynn Wilken, Mock Trial Parent and Volunteer
Frequently Asked Questions:
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts when you sign up and never ends, it is completely self paced.
Can I really take Iowa Mock Trial 101 in one afternoon?
Yes, the total runtime of every lesson is just under 3 hours!
What if I have no prior experience with Mock Trial?
The goal of Iowa Mock Trial 101 is to help people, just like you, who have never done Mock Trial before, learn the basics of the activity, so that is completely fine.
What if I have no attorney coach to help me?
Iowa Mock Trial 101 is designed to be an attorney coach in your pocket - it can walk you through the basics better than an attorney who has no mock trial experience.
Should I still do Mock Trial 101 even if I have participated in mock trial before?
Yes, Mock Trial 101 is the perfect preseason refresher on all the legal concepts you understand, but may have forgotten over the offseason. Also, Mock Trial 101 can be a great resource when you sit down to start writing your parts.
Should I still do Mock Trial 101 if I have an attorney coach?
Yes, it is also helpful to get another perspective, especially if your attorney coach is not always available whenever you need an explanation.