Teachers take us inside their classrooms and share how they created mock courtrooms in their schools.
We got to visit Elk Grove and Jordan High Schools, and get feedback from two teachers. Here’s what they shared!
We got to visit Elk Grove and Jordan High Schools, and get feedback from two teachers. Here’s what they shared!
We were blown away when we walked into this mock courtroom! Florin High School and Mr. Garcia did a fantastic job with this renovation, space planning and decorating! See all Florin High School Installation pictures here.
Elk Grove Unified School District’s Florin High School offers a Law Academy for students to explore careers in community service. 110 students in 10th-12th grade take Mock Trial, followed by a big competition at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Sacramento! We had the pleasure of meeting their Law Teacher, Carlos Garcia.
Since Mr. Johnson was teaching classes in the same room as the courtroom furniture, he opted to put everything on casters so they could push it all up against the wall when not in-use. As you can see in the photo, the classroom desks are facing the front of the room, while the courtroom furniture is in the back of the room. See all Jordan High School Installation pictures here.
Long Beach Unified School District’s Jordan High School serves 2500 students. JHS offers the LEAPS (Law, Emergency and Public Service) Pathway Program. All LEAPS freshman (185 students) take Intro to Law class. We had the pleasure of visiting their Law Teacher, Jeff Johnson.
Mr Garcia displays photographs of their Mock Trial Team students on the walls. What a powerful form of recognition for students! Mock Trial teaches teamwork skills and these visual displays of school unity really inspire a sense of camaraderie and cooperation!
Courtrooms can be an intimidating place for many people. Personal photographs bring a sense of familiarity, ownership, and safety to the space. These visual displays validate students’ presence and collective experiences within the learning space, so they can focus on learning about the legal system.
Mr. Johnson turned windows into stained glass figures of Wisdom (Solomon), Justice (Lady of Justice), Law (Moses) and Truth (Lady of Truth). These ancient symbols have historically represented law in places like Supreme Court architecture through friezes and statues. Bringing these visual aids into the classroom facilitates learning through visual processing and contributes to an engaging learning experience. These ancient symbols, paired with Charles-DePaul Courtroom furniture really communicate the long history of law.
“Having the courtroom furniture gives a level of credibility to the law classes and gets students invested in the program. Mock Trial is the best way to build confidence in public speaking. Students come in scared, and they leave confident. They get to “slay the dragon” and learn how to think on their feet. Kids in the program have gone on to all kinds of careers. When they come back, they say that the public speaking in this class gave them confidence in other areas of life, too..”
Carlos Garcia, Teacher
Social Science/Law, Florin High School
Elk Grove Unified School District
It was in a Judge’s Chambers, and FHS obtained it from an attorney to use for their law academy!
Authentic courtroom elements transform theoretical legal concepts into more tangible experiences, encouraging students to actively engage. When high school students are using a judge’s bench, witness stand, attorney tables and jury box, mock trials become more immersive and realistic. Simulating an actual courtroom, high school courtrooms help students prepare for larger mock trial competitions and any career, instilling a sense of confidence in their public speaking.
Mr. Garcia told us that the first assignment he gives students is to sketch a floor plan of their courtroom, so they learn where people sit and why. For example, the jury box is always on the same side of the judge as the witness stand. The defendant and defense attorney are always the furthest away from the jury. This visual processing of the physical relationships in a courtroom gives a valuable understanding of the dynamics in legal proceedings.
Not sure where to start? Contact us and we’ll walk you through it! We can help with space planning, renderings and customization. On the left is a rendering we made for Elk Grove High School.
Not sure how to pay for it? Look for Education Grants. There are many career-focused funding opportunities. For example, Elk Grove High School obtained California Partnership Academies (CPA) funding.
Want to do a little pre-work? Read our Mock Trial Furniture Buying Guide for Educators.
Just want to keep browsing? Check out our Courtroom Furniture Catalog
FURNITURE IN THE FIELD is a space where we highlight institutions using Agati Furniture and share feedback from the people using it. If you’d like to be featured, contact rashelle @ agati.com. See all FURNITURE IN THE FIELD posts here.
