we are entering a mock trial competetion (texas high school mock trial something or another)

anyways I havent done it yet and we are having tryouts tomorrow which is 2nd day of school back since the break so I havent had a chance to ask the teacher.

basically we need to have a 5 minute opening statement for both the plantiff and defense side.

what should I outline here?

the main thing is im not sure if evidence is limitied to what is already provided (which I beleive it to be) so could I still quote documents and such? (mostly previous court rulings)


so im thinking the opening statement is suppose to be an outline of how one sees the case in general....tho that seems kinda weird...


anyone done one of these? tips, etc etc?

 

I did it last year, and I delivered the opening statement. if you have last year's case log or know the story, this would make better sense: this is the text of it:

 

oh yeah, basic theory of opening statement for both sides is that you tell a story, but tell it using the evidence that will be presented, and testimony that will be shown yadda yadda. DO NOT ARGUE IN THE OPENING STATEMENT! seems counterintuitive, but they'll take points off if you blab on about what *happened*. That's what the closing and testimony are for, to synthesize everything and prove a point. the opening is just a story, a version of events, that supports, but doesn't argue for, a certain position.

Quick2k