The MiniTrial event is an initiative from the Faculty of Advocates which allows pupils to play the roles of lawyers, witnesses, jurors and clerks of the court in front of a sheriff in a Scottish criminal jury trial. The role of sheriff is played by a member of the Faculty of Advocates.
A school team from Trinity Academy took part in the event, which is held in October each year at the Sheriff Court and is supported by a defence lawyer and a procurator fiscal, who worked with the team. These expericiences are a great opportunity to learn more about how our courts actually function in real life.
MiniTrials provide pupils with simulated court cases based on what actually happens in the Scottish Courts.
During the trials, the students took part in a reconstruction of a criminal jury trial, where they convened the court, heard the evidence and then returned their own verdict.