For a business law class at any level or format, a field trip to a court is critical to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This article encourages legal studies instructors to utilize field trips to a court as an experiential learning opportunity for business law and legal studies courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for…

This article is drawn from the authors' book, "Judging for Themselves: Using Mock Trials to Bring Social Studies and English to Life," which discusses the effectiveness of mock trials as tools for learning and assessments. Mock trials are effective because they are challenging, authentic projects in which students create and then do…

This article provides some strategies to alleviate the current tensions between personal responsibility and freedom of speech rights in the public school classroom. The article advocates the necessity of making sure students understand the points and implications of the first amendment by providing a mock trial unit concerning free speech rights.…

A critical element of an introductory course in business law includes an understanding of the court process and dispute resolution. At Georgia State University (GSU), the authors have required undergraduate business students to make a "court visit" to witness this process in action and to broaden students' basic understanding of the role…

The purpose of this article is to persuade legal studies teachers of the benefits of using works from other disciplines to illustrate the rationales for law, the greater context in which the legal order operates, and the relationship between law and society. The tangential benefits of using works from other disciplines are the enhancement of the…

This review of key Supreme Court cases dealing with school integration can foster class discussion on racial progress and the role of the courts in determining educational policy. A teaching activity is included. (Contains 10 notes, 3 resources, and 7 cases cited.)

This book, intended for juveniles and young students, provides an encyclopedic collection of reference information about the U.S. Supreme Court. The articles are arranged alphabetically to aid in looking up words, ideas, or names. Lists of "see also" entries are located at the end of articles to refer the reader to related subjects. The…

Designed to facilitate effective planning by state courts for the future, this guidebook is the heart of the State Justice Institute's "Vision for the Courts" project. Its primary purpose is building state court capacity to draft clear, inspiring, and compelling descriptions of a "preferred future"--a future that its authors and proponents want to…

This document lists the law-related education activities conducted by state courts. The listings are arranged by state. Entries list the name of the court, a list of activities provided, descriptions of unusual programs, guidelines for programs that some of the courts have developed, and the name, title or committee, address, and phone number of a…

This catalog lists general articles on mock trials, information for arranging mock trial competitions, mock trial problem sets, and video tapes. The problem sets contain introductory material, applicable law, statements of facts, witness statements, and documents. The cases include issues in family, consumer, criminal, and immigration law. Several…

The League of Women Voters/Tallahassee responded to an opportunity to research the concerns of Florida's judiciary following the disrupted general election of 2000. It received a grant for the Judicial Independence Project, a project supported by a grant from the Program on Law and Society of the Open Society Institute, from the League of Women…

This guide is intended to advance high school students' understanding of the Iowa court system and the democratic principles on which it is based. The guide focuses on the Iowa district courts. Although 80% of law takes place in district courts, few national texts cover the district courts due to differences in district courts from state to state.…

Maintains that law-related education provides the four basic components of social studies: (1) knowledge; (2) skills; (3) values; and (4) participation. Presents five teaching activities about personal injury law. Provides hypothetical situations and discusses how they probably would be decided in the courts. (CFR)

Offers two strategies for preparing students for courtroom observation field trips. The strategies involve using the newspaper and structured observation. Both are illustrated with several examples. Included is a list of tips on court visits. (JDH)

In February 2000, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the State Bar of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction brought together 28 high school teachers from around the state together for a 2-day intensive workshop on teaching about federal and state courts. A second institute was held in February 2001…