The tension is palpable. Papers rustle. A chair scrapes against the floor. Someone clears their throat. Then silence. All eyes shift to the judge at the front of the room. With a deliberate nod, she signals that the court is in session.
But this isn’t your typical courtroom; it is a showdown between students armed with wit, evidence and just the right dose of drama. Welcome to a typical competition for the Tufts Mock Trial team, where students bring court cases to life.
Founded in 2003, Tufts Mock Trial has competed in over 100 tournaments, has had 11 National Championship appearances and has finished in the top 10 of the nation six times, becoming a benchmark of excellence in collegiate mock trial. The entirely student-run team has steadily risen through the ranks and currently sits at No. 26 in the nation.
However, the team’s success isn’t just measured by courtroom victories; it is measured by the relentless drive, sharp intellect and tight-knit camaraderie of its members.
Each fall, the journey begins with the release of a hefty case packet containing all the evidence and artifacts needed to analyze the case and prepare for trial. The case packet includes witness statements, affidavits, police reports, legal filings and physical exhibits. The team dissects every page with laser-sharp focus, crafting airtight arguments while gaining an understanding of the case’s witnesses and attorneys.
The preparation truly comes to life with a touch of theatrical flair during trial proceedings. Armed with sharp legal minds, the attorneys deliver their opening and closing statements with precision, laying the groundwork for the real drama: the direct and cross-examinations of the witnesses. Immersed in their roles, the witnesses bring more than just facts to the table; they strive to embody vibrant personalities, transforming into characters so convincingly that they feel like real people.
“We add backstories, jokes and quirks making each witness seem as real as possible, ” Sami Feteiha, a first-year on the team, wrote in correspondence with the Daily.
For those considering law school or a career in the legal field, Tufts Mock Trial offers an unparalleled head start.
Junior Aidan Connors, a co-president of the team, reflects on the impact mock trial has had on her ambition.
“[Mock Trial] has been helpful for me as I think about a career in law,” she said.
Club members walk away with hands-on training for legal concepts like trial procedures, courtroom decorum and rules of evidence, all of which they typically wouldn’t encounter until law school. But perhaps one of the most unique aspects of Mock Trial lies in its invaluable networking opportunities for aspiring legal professionals.
Many competition judges are seasoned attorneys, law students or law professors.
“There are some fairly connected people that are excited about our trial,” Senior Ian Carson, a co-president of the team, said.
Judges often return to oversee multiple competitions, creating opportunities for repeated interactions with the same participants. This ongoing familiarity cultivates a sense of camaraderie, transforming friendly exchanges into professional opportunities.
As Connors explains, over time, judges seize the chance to forge personal connections and “offer business cards or phone numbers or things like that, to talk to us.”
These initial gestures blossom into mentorships, opening doors to career insights and real-world guidance for team members.
For many participants, these connections have a lasting impact.
“I was thinking about becoming a lawyer when I got to Tufts and then I did mock trial, and I wanted to become a lawyer even more. And that was largely the result of the connections that I think mock trial affords,” Carson said.
Whether you’re heading into the legal field, business, politics, engineering or any other career, the transferable skills honed in mock trial provide a powerful training ground for personal and professional growth. For Feteiha, the impact is clear.
“I feel like my public speaking skills have gotten a lot better. I think I can communicate a lot more effectively and in a more engaging manner. I also feel like my memorization and critical thinking skills have [improved],” he wrote.
The relevance of mock trial is further evident in the diverse career paths of past members.
"[Among former club presidents,] one of them is now in medical school. One of them is an electrical engineer. One of them is [studying] computer science,” Carson said.
Each year, the club has drawn a growing wave of passionate and driven members. This year, interest reached an all-time high, with Connors revealing a whopping 80 to 90 applicants, a sharp increase compared to previous years.
The tryout process for the team is two-fold. First, applicants perform a brief acting component, reading a script with a chosen character direction, based on past direct examinations. In the second portion, they deliver a quick speech, either prosecuting or defending a fictional character.
“The try-out process was honestly pretty fun. I got to write a wacky speech about Michael Scott and his George Foreman Grill disaster which made Ian burst out laughing,” Feteiha wrote.
Connors emphasized that the team values applicants who communicate with confidence, clarity and authenticity. But perhaps the most important trait they seek is the ability to embrace feedback and adapt, beginning with the first tryout.
“At the end of the day, we’re trying to see who we as students are going to be able to teach and help learn and grow in this activity,” Connors said.
Ultimately, mock trial is not just about the knowledge students bring when they join but also about the transformative journey they experience through the team’s mentorship and support.
This sense of camaraderie is more than just a perk of joining mock trial; it is the heart of what makes the team special. For Feteiha, one of the most meaningful experiences came during his first scrimmage last fall.
“It was tiring for sure, but spending time with my friends for hours doing something we all loved–with a Picante run in between rounds of course–felt like the first time that I really got to connect with some of my teammates. Since then, we’ve only gotten closer and continued to enjoy mock trial together!” Feteiha wrote.
The sense of connection runs deep for many team members, often bridging gaps in age and experience. For Connors, these relationships have proven to be meaningful and lasting.
“I am close friends with someone who was senior when I was a freshman, and we still hang out, get lunch and call all the time, and that has been a pretty integral part [of my experience],” she said.
And perhaps that is the greatest takeaway from mock trial: not the accolades or victories, but the relationships built along the way. The true victory lies in a team that becomes a family, in friendships that uplift and inspire and in a shared journey that leaves its mark long after the final verdict is delivered.
