One hundred students from South Ayrshire Council secondary schools gave up a Saturday to take part in the South Ayrshire MiniTrials 2005 at Ayr Sheriff Court.

The initiative from Scottish Lawyers, supported by The Faculty of Advocates, The Law Society of Scotland, the Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet, and South Ayrshire Council, afforded students the opportunity to gain a rare insight into the Scottish legal system.

MiniTrials are simulated court cases, conducted by secondary school students, who take part in a reconstruction of a criminal jury trial. The students convene the court, hear the evidence and return their own verdict, with the help of lawyer volunteers.

The scenarios for the MiniTrials were prepared by Scottish lawyers and based on what actually happens in a Scottish Sheriff Court.

At the beginning of the day students were given a demonstration of how a court works, by professional people who gave up their time to take part in the initiative, and later in the day a senior lawyer acted as a Sheriff for each trial.

Convener of the Council’s Lifelong Learning Committee, Councillor Alan Murray was at Ayr Sheriff Court and said: “Students taking part in the MiniTrials have been able to learn about the Scottish legal system, courts and the range of people who appear in them, in an interesting and enjoyable way.

“This practical exercise brought to life court procedures, and clearly demonstrated the communication and critical thinking skills which are required by everyone within a courtroom setting.

“Some of the young people who took part may decide to follow a career in the legal profession, and this exercise will have been very valuable to them, as it has been for those who may in the future be witnesses or jurors in a court case.

“All the students I talked to told me that the experience had been very enlightening for them, and that the practical exercises within a real court setting had been invaluable.”

At the start of the practical exercises the students were split into groups, and four separate courtrooms were used in the morning for four assault trials that were run simultaneously, then a group discussion followed the MiniTrials. In the afternoon four separate drugs trials were held, and again there was time for group discussions afterwards.

During each trial students played the parts of prosecution lawyers, defence lawyers, witnesses, Crown witnesses, Clerk of the Court, Jurors, Police Officers and Media Officers.

Cathy Jamieson MSP was also at the Court and said: “The MiniTrials were conducted exactly as they would have been if the court cases had been real, and clearly demonstrated how the Scottish legal system operates. Whilst a court can be a very exciting place, what takes place within it is a very serious matter. Many people are not aware of the range of professions that are involved in operating a court trial, and the students have gained valuable knowledge of the reality of
courtroom life.”

Pictured within Ayr Sheriff Court are representatives from each school that took part in the MiniTrials, and seated are (left to right) Councillor Alan Murray, Convener of the Council’s Lifelong Learning Committee, Sheriff Colin Miller and Cathy Jamieson, MSP.