The 2017 ABA/JMLS National Criminal Justice Trial Competition (CJC)

Four students constitute a team — in each round, two students act as advocates and two as witnesses. This means two students will be defense and two students will be prosecution. All students must perform these roles; “swing” students are not allowed. During the trials, each student advocate must conduct a direct examination of a witness, a cross examination of a witness, and present either the opening statement or the closing argument. In the following round student advocates play the role of witnesses. The Federal Rules of Evidence apply.

The competition consists of two preliminary rounds followed by a quarterfinal round in which eight teams compete, then a semifinal round with four teams competing. The two winning semifinal round teams compete in the championship round. During the preliminary rounds, each team prosecutes and defends the case.

http://www.jmls.edu/criminal-justice-comp/