Why deal the roles secretly
Letting students pick means the confident ones take the judge and the lead counsel, and the quiet ones end up on the jury again. Dealing at random fixes that, and dealing privately does something more: a witness who is the only person holding their account has to be questioned properly, because nobody else in the room can fill the gap. Cross-examination only works when the lawyer genuinely does not know the answer.
Three shapes that work
- Mock trial or simulated hearing. One judge, counsel for each side, the defendant, witnesses for each side, and a jury made of everyone else. The most structured of the three and the easiest to assess.
- Stakeholder role-play. A shared case — a factory closure, a new bypass, a company's sustainability report — and one stakeholder per student: the chief executive, a worker, the local council, an investor, a community group, a regulator. Each argues their stakeholder's interests in a meeting or a written response.
- Negotiation with hidden agendas. Two or more sides, each with a goal, something they would trade, and a line they will not cross. Nobody knows the other side's line until the debrief.
Mock trial cast by class size
The core is six parts. From ten students, add a second witness on each side; everyone else is a juror. This is what the Mock trial preset writes for whatever class size you type.
| Students | Court | Witnesses | Jurors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, defendant | 1 each side | 0 (the judge decides) |
| 10 | Judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, defendant | 2 each side | 2 |
| 16 | Judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, defendant | 2 each side | 8 |
| 24 | Judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, defendant | 2 each side | 16 |
| 30 | Judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, defendant | 2 each side | 22 |
A jury of twenty is a lot of students with little to do. From about twenty, give some of them jobs by editing the list before you share it: a second counsel on each side, a court clerk who swears in witnesses and keeps the exhibits, a reporter who writes up the verdict. Or run two courtrooms with the same case and compare verdicts.
What goes in the note, and what goes in a briefing
The note is shown to everyone. Put the case there: what happened, who is accused of what, the one or two facts nobody disputes.
A briefing is shown only to the students dealt that role, under the role itself. It is where the private information lives:
- Witnesses — what they saw, what they did not, and one detail that helps the other side if someone asks the right question.
- The defendant — their version, and anything they would rather not say.
- Counsel — what they must prove or cast doubt on, and which witness to press.
- The judge — the order of proceedings, the time limits, and what is and isn't admissible.
- Stakeholders — their goal, what they would concede, and their red line.
Each briefing holds up to 600 characters, which is about five sentences. Roles with the same name share one briefing, so twelve jurors get the same instructions. The preset writes a short starter briefing for each part; replace them with your case.
A 50-minute lesson
- Deal (5 minutes). Show the QR code from your organiser page on the projector. Students scan it, type their name, and read their role and briefing on their own phone. Your page shows who has joined and who has opened theirs.
- Prepare (10 minutes). Counsel meet their witnesses; jurors read the case; the judge reads the running order.
- Run it (25 minutes). Openings, each witness questioned and cross-examined, closings, the jury out.
- Debrief (10 minutes). Open the reveal-all link on your organiser page and put the full cast on the board.
Debrief questions
- Which piece of evidence changed your mind, and when?
- Witnesses: what did you know that nobody asked you about?
- Counsel: which question would you ask differently now?
- Jurors: did you decide on the evidence or on who argued better?
- Would the verdict have been different with the other counsel?
FAQ
Do students need an account or an app?
No. They open one link or scan the QR code and type their name. There is nothing to install and no email address to give.
How many students can one game take?
Up to 40 roles in one deal. For a bigger group, run two courtrooms with the same case, which also gives you two verdicts to compare.
Can students see each other's briefings?
No. Each student's role and briefing are on a private page at their own link. The shared link only shows how many roles have been dealt.
Can I change a role after I have shared the link?
Yes, until the first student joins. After that the roles lock so nobody's draw is changed under them. To change them later, re-deal everything and the class joins again.
What if a student is absent?
Their role stays undealt. Before anyone joins, remove a line; once the class has joined, reset a player from your organiser page to put their role back in the draw for someone else.
Set one up
Open the role dealer with the Mock trial preset, set the class size, write the case in the note and a briefing for each part, and share the link. It is free, and there is no signup for you or your students.