6 Best Mock Trial Case Books For High School Students Coaches Recommend

Your high schooler comes home buzzing with excitement about joining the mock trial team, and suddenly you’re hearing terms like "objection," "hearsay," and "leading the witness." You want to support this new passion, but the array of practice materials can feel as complex as a legal brief itself. Choosing the right case packet is the first step in helping them build confidence and skill, not just for competition, but for life.

Choosing Cases to Build Foundational Skills

Your child’s first foray into mock trial is a lot like their first season of any sport. You wouldn’t hand a new soccer player a complex playbook for a professional team. You start with drills: dribbling, passing, and learning the basic rules of the game.

The same principle applies here. The goal of a first case packet is not to win a national championship, but to build the core competencies of mock trial. This means understanding the roles of attorneys and witnesses, learning how to structure a direct or cross-examination, and getting comfortable with the most common rules of evidence. A good starter case is clear, has well-defined characters, and avoids overly complex legal theories.

Look for materials that offer a clean, straightforward fact pattern. The best beginner cases have a limited number of witnesses and exhibits, allowing students to focus on performance and procedure without getting lost in mountains of paperwork. The key is to build a solid foundation of confidence and competence before tackling more ambiguous and strategic challenges.

Street Law’s Case Packet for New Mock Trial Teams

When a school is just starting a mock trial program or has a team of mostly ninth and tenth graders, coaches often turn to Street Law. Think of this as the learn-to-ride bike of mock trial cases. It’s designed specifically for teaching, with clear instructions and a fact pattern that is engaging but not overwhelming.

These cases are built to introduce the fundamentals in a structured way. They often include helpful sidebars and explanations that guide students through the process, making them excellent for self-directed learning or for a new coach who is learning alongside the team. The scenarios are typically relatable to teens, involving issues like cyberbullying or school-related conflicts, which helps with student buy-in.

Street Law provides the scaffolding young competitors need. It allows them to practice making objections, delivering opening statements, and developing a witness persona without the pressure of a convoluted case. It’s the perfect investment to confirm your child’s interest and build their skills before moving on to more competitive materials.

CRF’s People v. Klein for Advanced Strategy

Has your student been in mock trial for a year or two? Are they starting to talk about case theory and impeachment? If so, they are ready for a case from the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF), and People v. Klein is a legendary rite of passage.

This case is a classic for a reason. It’s a murder trial with a rich set of facts, compelling witnesses with complex motives, and just enough ambiguity to allow for truly creative legal arguments. Unlike a beginner case, Klein doesn’t have one obvious "right" way to be argued. This forces students to move beyond just reciting facts and start thinking like real attorneys, weighing evidence and crafting a persuasive narrative.

Working on a case like Klein is where intermediate students become advanced competitors. They learn to find the subtle contradictions in witness statements and use them for impeachment on cross-examination. This is the case that teaches students how to think strategically, preparing them for the high level of competition they’ll face at state and national tournaments.

SSS’s Mini-Trials for Focused Skill Drills

Imagine your child’s piano teacher having them practice scales over and over. It’s not the most glamorous part of learning, but it’s what builds mastery. The Mini-Trials series from Social Studies School Service (SSS) is the mock trial equivalent of practicing scales.

These are not full-length cases. Instead, they are short, self-contained scenarios designed to isolate and drill specific skills. One mini-trial might be perfect for practicing objections, while another is built to help students master the art of introducing a physical exhibit into evidence. This focused approach is incredibly efficient for skill development.

For the student who struggles with thinking on their feet during cross-examination or feels awkward during opening statements, these mini-trials are a game-changer. The coach can run several drills in a single practice, giving each student multiple chances to work on their specific area of weakness. It’s a low-stakes way to build the muscle memory required for high-pressure tournament performance.

NYSBA’s Sawyer v. Garris for Civil Law Rules

Most high school mock trial competitions focus on criminal cases—the state versus a defendant. But what happens when your student’s team advances to a level where they are handed a civil case? Suddenly, the language changes from "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" to "preponderance of the evidence," and the entire objective shifts.

The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) produces excellent and widely used high school cases, and a civil case like Sawyer v. Garris is essential for rounding out a team’s expertise. This case, involving a lawsuit over a fatal car accident, introduces students to concepts like negligence and liability. It requires a completely different strategic approach than a criminal case.

Practicing a well-written civil case ensures your student won’t be caught off guard in a tournament. It broadens their legal vocabulary and analytical skills, making them more versatile and adaptable competitors. Understanding both sides of the legal system—criminal and civil—is a hallmark of a truly experienced mock trial team.

Fuller’s Speluncean Explorers for Ethics Debates

At a certain point, the most advanced students are no longer just learning the rules of the game; they are ready to question the nature of the game itself. For these deeply curious and philosophically-minded teens, Lon L. Fuller’s The Case of the Speluncean Explorers is an unparalleled educational tool.

This is not a traditional mock trial case packet. It’s a famous thought experiment about a group of trapped cave explorers who must make an impossible choice to survive. There are no witnesses to examine or exhibits to enter. Instead, students read the opinions of five fictional judges, each representing a different school of legal philosophy.

The exercise here is not about procedure, but about persuasion and ethics. It pushes students to grapple with profound questions: What is the purpose of law? When does justice conflict with morality? Discussing this case is an incredible enrichment activity for a varsity team, perfect for the off-season or for students considering a future in law. It elevates their thinking from tactics to jurisprudence.

Empire Mock Trial’s Digital Case Library Access

For the most dedicated teams—the ones that travel, compete year-round, and live and breathe mock trial—a subscription to a digital case library like Empire’s is the modern solution. This is the equivalent of a serious athlete having access to a state-of-the-art training facility.

Instead of a single, static casebook, a digital subscription provides access to a wide variety of contemporary, complex cases. These are often the same cases used in major national and international competitions, giving students exposure to the highest level of material. The digital format also allows for easy distribution and updates, which is a huge logistical advantage for a busy coach.

This option represents a significant investment and is not for the casual participant. But for a team with a strong track record and a goal of competing on the national stage, access to a library of top-tier cases is invaluable. It provides the variety and challenge needed to keep elite students engaged and constantly honing their skills against the best materials available.

Maximizing Practice With Any Case Packet

Ultimately, the case packet you choose is less important than how your child and their team use it. A simple, well-written case that is practiced relentlessly will build more skill than a complex one that sits on a shelf. The real learning in mock trial comes from repetition and feedback.

Encourage your child’s team to "scrimmage" the case over and over, switching roles between attorney and witness, and between prosecution/plaintiff and defense. Each time they run through a cross-examination, they will discover a new angle. Each time a witness takes the stand, their character becomes more believable.

The best investment you can make is not in the most expensive case, but in fostering a culture of practice. A team that knows its case inside and out can beat a more talented team that is less prepared. The confidence gained from that deep preparation is the real prize, and it’s a skill that will serve your child long after the trial is over.

Remember, the goal is to equip your child with the right tool for their current stage of development. Whether they are just learning to stand and object or are ready to debate legal philosophy, the right case is the one that challenges and inspires them to grow. Your thoughtful support is the best evidence they can have in their corner.