Mock Trial Closings Essay

The closing argument is the last piece of a mock trial, essentially the last time you get to sell your case to the jury. During the closing argument, you are summarizing and putting together everything the jury has already heard during the trial. You are basically clarifying everything presented in the trial from showing the relevance of a particular witness to showing how everything you’ve presented comes together to prove your case. It is one of the most important parts of mock trial, mainly because the jury listens. It is the last chance to convince the judges of your case, to show you are more skilled than your opponent, and get the perfect 10 you’re hoping for because they are the last words the jury will hear from your team. It can make your case, or break it, thus delivery is very important. Writing the Closing Theme An important part of a great closing is the theme. It will tie your case together in a pretty ribbon that will stay in the juries mind. It will be the same theme from the opening, one that runs through your entire case, and in the closing reminding the jury of your case with the catchy phrase or sentence. Structure 1)Introduction: Begin with a short introduction that catches the jury’s attention. It should remind the judges of the big picture. If it’s a murder trial, talk about how tragic it is that this person’s life was taken away. If it’s a civil trial you can speak about how the person’s rights were violated. Also be sure to introduce your theme during the introduction. 2)Burden of Proof: Explain what your burden is and what your role is in relation to it. Tell the judges exactly how you’ve met the burden or how the opposing counsel has failed to met this burden. In addition, frame the burden of proof in your favor. 3)Law: Tell the judges about each element of the charge. Explain whether or not you have proved or disproved each element, or whether it is enough to prove or disprove any one element. Then make a roadmap. Tell the judge that to prove your burden/undermine your opponents case, you are to prove x, y, and z. 4)Argument: This is the meat of your case. This is where one by one you are going to signpost and tell the judge exactly what you are talking about. Example: â€Å"Now let’s look at X†. X, Y, and Z should not be your three witnesses but parts of the law that you need to prove or disprove. Remind your judges of testimonies/evidence from the trial that adds up to show X. Do this for all points. Its important to remember it should be based around the law. Don’t go witness by witness recounting the evidence. 5)Conclusion: Sums everything up. Restate how you’ve met your burden of proof through x, y, and z. Use your theme once more to tie everything together. Ask for a verdict. Remember to be this strong, convincing and memorable.