Handling Controversial Handling Controversial IssuesIssues

Tips for Examining Tough Cases Tips for Examining Tough Cases with Maturitywith Maturity

Issues You May Encounter in Mock Issues You May Encounter in Mock TrialsTrials

MurderMurder RapeRape SuicideSuicide AssaultAssault Racial discriminationRacial discrimination Sexual discriminationSexual discrimination Wrongful deathWrongful death Medical malpracticeMedical malpractice

Child abuseChild abuse Wrongful terminationWrongful termination FraudFraud Attempted murderAttempted murder briberybribery

Treat the Issues SeriouslyTreat the Issues Seriously

A common response when encountering A common response when encountering these issues is to make jokesthese issues is to make jokes

We make jokes to protect ourselves from We make jokes to protect ourselves from expressing our true feelings – it’s a expressing our true feelings – it’s a defense mechanismdefense mechanism

Stop yourselves from making Stop yourselves from making inappropriate comments by thinking before inappropriate comments by thinking before you say anythingyou say anything

Use EmpathyUse Empathy

Think about what it is like for the people Think about what it is like for the people going through the trial, both the plaintiff going through the trial, both the plaintiff and the defendantand the defendant

Keep in mind that for these people, this Keep in mind that for these people, this case is very important to their daily lifecase is very important to their daily life

Do not mock or make fun of anyone in the Do not mock or make fun of anyone in the case for any reason – humor is not case for any reason – humor is not acceptable in the courtroomacceptable in the courtroom

Tolerate and Respect Others’ Tolerate and Respect Others’ Opinions and ChoicesOpinions and Choices

You may not like how others live their lives You may not like how others live their lives or the way that they think, but you need to or the way that they think, but you need to understand that their actions and feelings understand that their actions and feelings are validare valid

Follow the golden rule when working with Follow the golden rule when working with othersothers