Trinity Youth and Government Club

The Model Judiciary Program enables Virginia's youth to learn about the Virginia legal system by having them participate in mock trials and hearings under the guidance of a volunteer group of legal experts. Any public or private school in Virginia can participate in this program.

Our case this year is Commonwealth v. Diamond, a murder case.

Click Here or on the picture above to access the Model Judicary Page.

In the Model General Assembly Program, students from schools all over the state take on the role of legislators in the VA General Assembly.  Each school submits at least one bill proposal in December, and then students from all of the participating schools gather for three days to discuss and try to pass their bills at the State Capitol the following spring. 

Youth and Government involves students in several hands on activities concerning government.  The club conducts mock elections and participates in two simulations each year, the Model Judiciary Program(MJP) and the Model General Assembly(MGA).  The MJP consists of a mock trial where the students take on the roles of lawyers and witnesses and argue an assigned case against another school before a real judge in a real court room. There are also two rounds of appeals in this program where the student lawyers make oral arguments concerning a specific issue in their case to real judges and lawyers.  The appeals rounds are held in the VA State Court of Appeals and the Virginia State Supreme Court.  In the Model General Assembly Program, students from schools all over the state take on the role of legislators in the VA General Assembly.  Each school submits at least one bill proposal in December, and then students from all of the participating schools gather for three days to discuss and try to pass their bills at the State Capitol the following spring.