Middle schoolers participate in a mock trial in Judge Jia Cobb's courtroom in U.S. District Court.
Middle schoolers participate in a mock trial in Judge Jia Cobb's courtroom in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse Credit: Courtesy of Kate Weisburd

Kevin Smith has been accused of stealing a classmate’s camera. The high schooler was allegedly backstage during a rehearsal of an upcoming theater production when the expensive item (which also happened to be a gift from a family member) went missing from another student’s backpack. 

The task for 20 Stuart-Hobson Middle School students last week was to argue whether Kevin, who is not a real person, was guilty or innocent. For the past several months, the students have worked with George Washington University law professor Kate Weisburd, who provided them with witness affidavits and taught them how to collect evidence and present arguments in preparation for a mock trial. Then, they were divided up into two teams: defense and prosecution. 

The students spent the majority of the spring preparing to use the legal skills they learned from Weisburd and apply them in a real courtroom in front of a real U.S. District judge, Jia M. Cobb. 

“They showed up every Friday afternoon; even on cold winter days and hot spring days, they showed up, and I think that’s pretty remarkable,” Weisburd says. “They weren’t getting credit for it, they weren’t getting a grade, they were just really invested.”

Stuart-Hobson Middle School students on the defense team await the jury’s verdict. Image courtesy of Kate Weisburd.

On Monday, June 12, the students, clad in slacks, collared shirts, dresses, and skirts, divided themselves into the defense and prosecution teams in Cobb’s courtroom inside the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse. The jury, mostly composed of GW law students and some parent volunteers, sat off to the side.

Judge Cobb set the stage: Kevin was accused of violating the D.C. Code 22–3211—theft of his classmate’s camera. Each student had a role to play: classmates, parents, a drama teacher, a police officer, and the victim of the crime. 

The prosecution presented several witnesses who said Kevin was passionate about photography. He had lots of friends, but he was also considered by some to be a show-off. 

One of Kevin’s photography classmates, who testified in support of the prosecution’s case, said she found Kevin to be a little annoying. She had called the police and accused Kevin of the theft in the first place. On the stand, she described what the camera looked like, right down to the piece of pink duct tape on it. 

But the defense team called this classmate’s recollection into question. They pointed to the “WANTED” posters hanging around the school, which included a description of the camera, to raise doubt about her testimony. Through questioning, they revealed that Kevin’s photography classmate had only called the police after she saw that the posters promised a $100 reward. 

Kevin’s best friend testified that Kevin had no motive to steal a camera. And the police officer said they did not find any evidence to show that Kevin had stolen the camera at all. Other peers and parents said they generally agreed that Kevin was a good kid, and the jury was left to deliberate. 

After about 10 minutes, the jury came back to a silent courtroom as the room awaited their verdict. Then the defense team erupted into cheers: Kevin Smith was not guilty. 

Judge Jia M. Cobb with Stuart-Hobson Middle School students who tried a mock trial in her courtroom. Image courtesy of Kate Weisburd.

But in the end, every student had a reason to celebrate. Standing in front of a full courtroom and testifying and questioning in front of their peers, families, coaches, and Judge Cobb was no easy feat. Weisburd says the students’ impressive skills, after just a few months of work to prepare, “match or exceed that of law students and lawyers.” 

“They were passionate, unflappable, confident, poised,” she says. “All of those skills are skills that it takes years for seasoned litigators to learn.”

Judge Cobb also commended the students’ abilities. “I was so impressed by everyone’s eye contact and confidence,” she told the students. “I hope that there’s some future lawyers at some of these tables.” 

Weisburd hopes to continue the program in the future. “It’s a really invaluable opportunity for the students, and a really important opportunity for public schools in particular, who don’t always have access to the same resources that suburban public schools have access to, or private schools,” she says. “Doing this program in big urban areas is really, really important.”