Think you're ready to be a mocker? Being a Mock Dawg is one of the most fun and rewarding experiences you can have at the University of Georgia.

You don't need any prior experience in Mock Trial, acting, or debate to make the team. We're looking for talented people that we can train and who are excited to be a part of the team.

If you're up to the challenge, grab a legal pad, get to a mirror, and get ready for tryouts!

Each August, UGA Mock Trial holds several information sessions to let students know more about our program and why they should join. At these info sessions, you'll also have the opportunity to sign-up for a tryout time and ask any questions you might have.

Visit our website, look for flyers around campus, or e-mail us to find out what days we'll be holding information sessions this August. We hope to see you then!

If you've been to an info session and signed up for a tryout time, it's time to start preparing. Once we have your e-mail address on our tryout sign-up sheet, you'll receive an e-mail with a new member data sheet, a case summary, and two witness affidavits.

If you'd like to tryout as an attorney, choose one witness for which to write a direct examination and cross examination. Your cross examination should be for the opposite side (Plaintiff/Prosecution or Defense) as your direct examination. An E Board member will serve as your witness.

As a general rule, questions on direct should be open-ended and allow the witness to tell his or her story. Because witnesses on direct are intended to help your case , the tone of questioning is generally cordial and conversational.

On cross, all questions should be leading, forcing the witness to answer with a yes or no. The attorney's tone may be more forceful on cross (depending on the witness).

If you'd like to tryout as a witness, choose one witness and prepare for an E Board member (who will be playing an attorney) to conduct a direct and cross examination of that witness.

On direct, you should generally try to answer questions in a way that tells your witness' story, shows your witness' character, and helps the side of the case on which your witness is being called to testify.

On cross, you should answer the opposing attorney's questions but feel free to explain your answers in a way that helps your witness' side of the case.

In attorneys, we will be looking for questions that elicit facts to help your side of the case. For the most part, good questions tend to avoid unneccessarily asking the witness' opinion or asking the witness to speculate on matters about which he or she has no knowledge.

We'll also be looking at how well attorneys listen to the witness' answers and adapt their questions accordingly. While you'll probably want to script most of your questions before you come, a great tryout will likely require you to think on your feet by making up a few questions as you go...so know the witness' affidavit and get ready!

Of course, the best attorneys don't just have great questions — they make people want to listen, too. We'll be taking note of how comfortable you are speaking in front of an audience and how crisp your presentation is (avoiding "ums" and "uhs" helps a lot).

For witnesses, we'll be looking primarily at believability and ability to answer questions clearly.
If you have special skills — such as a great accent or the ability to cry on command — and think you can pull it off with the witness you choose, go for it. We want to see your character come alive!

In Fall 2009, more than 100 people participated in tryouts for UGA Mock Trial, and approximately 30 of those made the team. Approximately one out of every three students that participates in tryouts will make the team.

The number of new members let on the team each year depends on how many members from the previous year return, how many people tryout, and the quality of prospective team members.

UGA's teams generally practice two to three nights a week for two hours each night in the Fall. In the Spring, teams generally practice three to four nights a week for two to three hours each night. As competitions approach, team members also will participate in dress rehearsals (usually two the week of a competition) that last about three hours each.

Team members, especially those playing attorney roles, should expect to put in work outside of practice.