Montana Tech Business Students Hold Mock Trial

The Montana Tech students in the Business & Information Technology Department will be conducting a mock trial as part of a course to help them develop advanced critical thinking skills. The mock trial, which will be free and open to students, faculty, staff and the general public, will be held over two days: Monday, October 14th and Wednesday, October 16th. The event will be held at 11:00 am in the Poore Room of the Gilmore University Relations Center on the Tech campus.

In the mock trial, students act as witnesses and as attorneys for both the Prosecution and the Defense. The case in the mock trial involves a criminal matter. The rest of the students in the class will serve as jurors on the case. They will take copious notes during the trial and then must openly and publicly conduct their jury deliberations.

“Our students take this event very seriously,” said Associate Professor Rita Spear. “Their participation in this mock trial demands superior critical thinking on their parts. In preparation for this mock trial and during the trial, the students must be very disciplined as they conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize and communicate significant amounts of information in real time.

Assisting the students with the trial are Butte attorneys, Rick Anderson, Samm Cox and Mark Vucurovich. The attorneys volunteer their time and function as the Judge, and consultants for the Prosecution and the Defense.

“We are very thankful to have the participation of attorneys from our own area,” said Dr. Tim Kober, Chair of the Business & Information Department. “They are helping our students on a volunteer basis and their good counsel and leadership has been invaluable.”