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Game Instructions

From Unit Plan: Justice by the People

Closing Arguments: Once all four witnesses have testified, the judge instructs the jury on how to apply the law in the case. The trial then ends with closing arguments. Players choose what to emphasize in their closing statements. Each closing argument will only mention items that were introduced as evidence during the trial. Hence, the players who introduced stronger evidence in support of their case will have stronger closing arguments and will earn more points.

Jury Deliberation: Following closing arguments, the jury deliberates the following questions:

• To what degree, if any, did the defendant cause the plaintiff to suffer damages in the accident?
• Depending on the defendant’s responsibility, how much should he pay the plaintiff?
  (This amount is calculated by multiplying the defendant’s percentage responsibility by the amount of damages suffered by the plaintiff.)

The Verdict: Finally, the jury returns its verdict, which is based on how an average jury would be likely to respond to the evidence presented, and not on the scores achieved by either attorney. If you are playing the game with a student jury, stop the game after closing arguments and allow your jurors to reach their own decision. Their verdict can then be compared with that of the game’s jury.

Juror Interviews: After the verdict is delivered, students may interview three of the jurors for feedback on the trial. The jurors’ responses will depend upon the evidence presented during the trial. Finally, players can print out certificates of completion that show how they scored.

Concluding the Lesson
After students have played the game, you may want to discuss some of the following questions with the class:

• What are opening statements and closing arguments? How do they differ?
• What is the difference between direct examination and cross-examination?
• Who raises objections in a trial and why? Who rules on objections?
• What did the jury have to decide in this case? What burden of proof did the jurors have to
apply in reaching their verdict?
• What skills does an attorney need in trying a case such as this one?

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